When meteorologists detect a winter storm or a blizzard headed for your area, chances are that the local news outlets will let you know as soon as possible. This is because blizzards can be quite dangerous and have a lasting effect during the days to come. If a winter storm is coming your way, here’s what you need to know about blizzard safety and how to prepare.
What Makes a Snowstorm a Blizzard?
Snowstorm is a broad term that can describe any type of storm that creates snow. Snowstorms range in severity. When you think about the strongest ones, you’re probably thinking about a blizzard. Meteorologists classify blizzards as winter storms that have winds of at least 35 mph and blowing snow that reduces visibility to less than a quarter of a mile. These conditions have to be met for at least three hours or more to be categorized as a blizzard.
An interesting thing to know about blizzards is that snow doesn’t need to be falling from the sky for the storm to be considered a blizzard. After a snowfall, high winds can pick up snow that’s already fallen and create whiteouts as the snow blows around the area. Wind can also create snowdrifts, or big piles of snow, which decrease visibility even more.
What Are Some Blizzard Dangers?
Blizzards can last anywhere from a few hours to a few days and can pose several dangers to people and their communities. Heavy snow that causes whiteouts and lowers visibility can make traveling difficult or impossible. Cold temperatures feel even colder because of the strong winds and wind chill effect. This limits the amount of time that you can be outside before health risks like hypothermia and frostbite become a reality.
Other blizzard dangers are:
- Roofs collapsing from the weight of the snow
- Power outages
- Car accidents caused by low visibility
- Heart attacks provoked by exertion from shoveling snow
- Carbon monoxide incidents in the home
- Freezing to death
Because of all of these risks, knowing how to prepare for a blizzard can help keep you and your family safe before, during, and after the storm.
What Should I Do Before a Blizzard?
It’s important that each member of your family knows how to stay safe during a blizzard. Before the storm, you should consider making a family emergency plan. Creating a plan involves thinking about how to stay in communication with each other in case someone is stranded in a vehicle outside, along with smaller things like how to care for pets if you’re snowed in your home.
Also, think about creating a blizzard emergency kit, either for your home, car, or both. Your home emergency kit should include things like:
- Extra blankets
- Warm clothing
- Batteries
- Gadgets like battery-powered radios and flashlights
- Personal items, including medications
- Items for your pets
In the event that you get stranded in your car during a blizzard, you should have these things on hand:
- Jumper cables
- Tow rope
- Road flares
- Water
- Non-perishable food
Ready your home for winter weather. This includes making sure that your home can keep out the cold with proper caulking, insulation, and weather stripping. Install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in your home and have extra batteries on hand for them.
You can have a professional install storm shutters over your doors and windows and have your roof tested to make sure it can hold the weight of heavy snow. Having rock salt, shovels, and snow blowers on hand can be helpful after the storm to clear sidewalks and driveways. Lastly, make sure you have sufficient heating fuel and consider backup heating options like fireplaces, wood stoves, or non-electric space heaters.
What Should I Do During a Blizzard?
One of the most important blizzard safety tips during the storm is to stay inside as much as possible. If you do have to go outside, dress in several thin layers of clothes and not just one bulky layer. Cover up exposed skin with mittens, hats, and scarves, especially waterproof items. While you’re outside, be mindful of signs of frostbite and hypothermia.
While you’re in your home, make sure to heat and light the home safely. Read all instructions for space heaters and backup generators and make sure that they’re a safe distance away from items like curtains and blankets to avoid a fire hazard. Note that some gas-powered heaters may require ventilation.
Babies and older people may need some extra care during a blizzard when extreme cold is a factor. Babies and older adults lose body heat much quicker than the average adult and are at higher risk for weather-related dangers. Try to maintain a warm temperature within your house and have extra blankets on hand.
What Should I Do After a Blizzard?
Once the storm is over, keep following the latest updates on the local media to alert you of any possible weather-related emergencies. There might be dangerous conditions in your neighborhood, so it’s important to follow all local safety instructions.
When you head outside to clear the sidewalk or your driveway from snow, make sure you are properly dressed. Clear away the snow so that people with limited mobility or pushing baby strollers won’t have difficulty getting through it. If there’s a fire hydrant on or near your property, clear away the area so that the hydrant can be used in case of an emergency. Shoveling snow is exerting, so don’t overdo it all at once and take frequent breaks to rest.
If your car is outside and covered in snow, clear away snow from around the exhaust pipe before trying to start your car. Also, be sure to clear snow away from vents and furnace systems. You want to make sure that all of these areas are clear to avoid accidental carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide doesn’t have any smell and is silent, so it can be quite dangerous. Make sure all of the detectors in your home are in good working order and test them regularly.