Originally posted 2017-03-29 19:18:58.
Here in Colorado, Spring is beginning to poke its head out, and we’re slowly beginning to see the trees bud and grass turn green. It’s been a fairly mild winter in the Denver metro area, but there was plenty of snow to be seen in the mountains. Unfortunately, it seems that here in Colorado we get our biggest blizzards and snow storms in April, right when everything is about to bloom and the trees have leaves (which then turn into landing pads for heavy, wet snow). So, I wanted to do a quick article on some of the items and strategies you may need in the case of a monster snow storm. Blizzard preparedness gear is always an important thing to keep in mind, and snow is beautiful and scenic, it can also turn deadly quick.
A note about winter storm warnings and blizzard warnings
This information comes from the American Red Cross:
Each year, hundreds of Americans are injured or killed by exposure to cold, vehicle accidents on wintry roads, and fires caused by improper use of heaters. Take immediate precautions if you hear these words on the news:
Winter Storm WARNING: Life threatening, severe winter conditions have begun or will begin in 24 hours.
Blizzard WARNING: Sustained winds or frequent gusts of 35 MPH or greater, plus considerable falling or blowing snow reducing visibility to less than a quarter mile, expected to prevail for 3 hours or longer.
Blizzard Preparedness Gear
Preparing your home
Hopefully during a blizzard or big winter storm, you’re already hunkered down at the house. We’ve had snow storms here in which we were essentially stranded for 4 or 5 days… Which doesn’t seem so bad until the power went out on the 2nd day. Then things started to suck. Here are some things you may want to consider.
Keeping the home insulated and preventing drafts
Windows can be a major heat sink in your home, whether from drafty cracks in the window seal, or just from the exposure of cold glass. Try using duck tape around the edges of your window, and even placing a plastic sheet over the window in order to create a second layer of insulation in these areas.
Alternative heating
As I mentioned above, being stuck at home in a snow storm isn’t that big of a drag until you lose power. Then there are some big issues at hand, most notably the possibility that your pipes may freeze over and cause extensive damage to your home. To learn more about how to protect your pipes from freezing, check out the Red Cross’s advice. In order to keep things from freezing in the first place, however, you may want to consider having some other methods of heating your home that aren’t the traditional electricity based HVAC system. If you are lucky enough to have a wood burning fireplace, make sure you have a good supply of dry wood, and especially make sure that you have a chimney sweep service your fireplace once a year and ensure it’s in good working condition (because the only thing worse than a blizzard is burning your house down in a blizzard)
If a wood burning fireplace isn’t an option, you may want to look into a kerosene heater . Kerosene is fairly cheap as fuel and can burn for a good long time. You may need to use some ventilation for this, however. You’ll also want to check to make sure these are permitted by law in your area, you can check with your fire department in regard to this. Also, KEEP A WORKING FIRE EXTINGUISHER IN YOUR HOME!
A more expensive, but more useful solution is to have a portable generator. These can be loud and guzzle a lot of fuel, and there’s also the possibility of carbon monoxide, so be sure to read up on these issues before you decide to go down this route. However, a good generator should be able to provide you enough electricity to run your lights and heating unit for at least a few days. There are a lot of different options when it comes to generators, so you may want to poke around for the best one in your particular situation.
Going Outside
While the most obvious advice regarding blizzard preparedness would be to stay inside if at all possible, there very well may be a need to get outside, whether to clear heavy snow off trees, feed livestock, or any other reason. Make sure to wear multiple layers, and layer up or down depending on how you are feeling – you don’t want to wear so much that you will begin to sweat. Loose fitting is best. Gloves are extremely important to have if you’re outside for more than a few minutes, as your extremities will be the first part of your body to lose heat and be susceptible to frostbite. Clothing is probably some of the most important blizzard preparedness gear you can own.
In terms of your coat or jacket, I would avoid wool as your outer layer, or anything that will get damp and wet. If your jacket becomes sogged down, you’ll be an otter pop in no time, so you will want to definitely invest in some water proof materials for both your jacket and footwear.
Speaking of footwear, if there’s more than a foot of snow outside, you’re gonna have a bad time. Walking in deep snow is extremely taxing on your body and can exhaust you in a matter of minutes. If you’re forced into traversing over snow drifts to a neighbor’s house or somewhere else, snow shoes are the way to go. In blizzards past these were the only good way for us to get to the barn in order to feed our horses, until we had dug out a trench Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
Clearing the way
Once the snow has stopped falling, the task of trying to clear out your driveway, sidewalk and other areas in order to be able to get your car out begins. A word of warning about shoveling snow: Shoveling snow sucks, and can be dangerous. In fact, there are multiple people who die every year doing this seemingly innocuous activity. If you’re not in good shape, the cold weather and strenuous activity of shoveling heavy snow can prove deadly – so know your limits and be careful out there. In order to shovel snow, of course, you’ll need a snow shovel. Plastic ones have a better chance of breaking so you will want something that’s higher quality than your cheap-o brand.
If you live out in the sticks, then a shovel might not cut it. The house I grew up in had a driveway that was several hundred feet long, and you would never be able to effectively shovel out of it. In situations like this I would recommend a snow blower, or even better a snow plow attached to a 4×4 or a truck. Snow blowers carry their own risks and hazards, so you should be aware of how to safely use one before attempting to clear your driveway. These can range widely in both their price and blowing ability, so you’ll want to do some due diligence in seeing which one is the right fit if you need it.
In your car
Now, the best advice in regards to driving in a winter storm or a blizzard is to not do it. Your chances of being in an accident rise astronomically in winter weather, and even if you’re an excellent winter driver chances are that someone around you may not be. Here in Colorado specifically we’ve had an influx of what we affectionately call transplants, or people that have moved here from other places in recent years. A lot of them are coming from warmer climes such as Florida, and are woefully unprepared for the challenges winter driving brings. The first and most important step to driving in a winter storm is to make sure your tires are up to the task. If your treads are worn, or if you don’t have winter specific or all weather tires, don’t go out. You’re putting yourself at risk if you do this. Bald treads will give you less traction and you’ll be sliding all over the place (not good!) Four wheel drive is also highly recommended in a blizzard setting, as you will need the power of all four of your wheels to give you the torque and power needed to get around. In many parts of the high country in Colorado, roads will be either closed completely or limited to those who have snow chains on their tires. If you’re not familiar with snow chains, they aid in preventing snow from building up in the tire and act like a big snowshoe of sorts and giving you more traction.
For the inside of your car, keep ample food, water, and spare clothes. An extra set of boots, gloves, and any other extras you may need in case your current set gets wet. I always keep a bulk pack of hand and foot warmers inside my truck during the winter months, they can help keep your extremities from getting too cold if you get stuck in a drift. I also highly recommend a shovel and some kitty litter. Why kitty litter, you ask? If you get stuck in the snow you can utilize the litter to put under your tires after digging the vehicle out, giving you just enough traction to get out of a very slippery situation. Another must have is an adequate supply of anti freeze for your windshield, and an ice scraper. Newspapers can be kept in the car along with emergency blankets to provide insulation if you find yourself stuck in the car. If you ARE stuck in the snow, be vary wary of leaving your car running. The exhaust pipe can get blocked up and you will find your car full of carbon monoxide! For more information on this, check the Red Cross website for more tips.
I hope this article gives you some good basic knowledge of the things you’ll need in order to prepare for a big freeze. It’s by no means a full guide, and I highly encourage you to do proper research on the internet for ways to protect yourself and increase your blizzard preparedness gear. Until then, stay warm and we’ll catch you next time! 🙂
