It won’t be long now before we get to face the reality of winter storms and extreme cold. The time to prepare for bad weather is before the season hits. This way, you won’t get caught unaware or in competition with everyone else who needs last minute supplies.
Winter weather affects different parts of the country differently. Some areas are more likely to face more severe danger from winter weather than others, but the reality is that most Americans will, at some point, face severe weather.
Winter storms can range from a few hours to a few days, and storms that might start out mild can turn more severe. You don’t want to be out in that kind of weather, especially since most winter storms also come with extreme cold.
Winter storms can be deceptive in that most fatalities are actually not caused directly by the storm but by other related factors, such as car accidents that occur when there is ice on the roads or hypothermia that occurs when people are caught outside or lose heat to their homes when power fails.
The best place to be during a winter storm is usually your own home. You can take steps to winterize your home and fill it with enough supplies to keep you warm and fed for several days. You can learn more about sheltering in place here.
You should also winterize your car and make sure that you have emergency supplies available while you travel, in case you do get caught unawares on the road.
It is also good to have a communications plan to keep in touch with friends and family. Consider adding an elderly neighbor or isolated person in your plan. You may just save a life when you stock extra supplies or are able to check on someone who may not have the means to be protected from winter storms and extreme cold.
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