Are You Ready for the Extreme Cold?

We’re expecting some dangerously low temperatures, so be sure to be prepared.

One of the primary concerns is winter weather’s ability to knock out heat, power and communications services to your home or office, sometimes for days at a time.

Cold Weather Tips

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  • When going outside, wear layers of loose-fitting, lightweight clothes. These will help keep you warm while pulling moisture away from your body. A hat will preserve body heat and a scarf over your mouth will help keep cold air out of your lungs. To guard against frostbite, cover all areas of your body.
  • Mittens vs. Gloves. Gloves may be more fashionable but mittens can actually provide better warmth. With your fingers touching each other inside mittens, they generate more body heat than when they’re inside gloves.
  • Drink plenty of fluids. You may not be sweating, but breathing cold air dehydrates the body.
  • Protect your eyes and skin. The sun’s radiation and the wind can damage your skin and eyes. Wear sunscreen and sunglasses that screen out the UV rays. Sunlight reflecting off snow can do a lot of damage to your eyes.
  • Monitor weather conditions by knowing the latest weather updates.

Basic Motor Vehicle Safety in Cold Weather

  • Make sure your vehicle has been winterized. Get a tune-up, have the battery checked, make sure the vehicle has enough antifreeze and check the tire tread and tire pressure. Ensure that windshield washer fluid is full. Salt from the roads gets sprayed onto your windshield and can impair visibility.
  • Store an emergency kit in your vehicle. It should include jumper cables, flashlight, ice scraper, snow brush, small shovel, sand or kitty litter, cell phone, blankets and flares.

After Winter Storms and Extreme Cold

  • Go to a designated public shelter if your home loses power or heat during periods of extreme cold. Text SHELTER + your ZIP code to 43362 (4FEMA) to find the nearest shelter in your area (example: shelter 12345).

For more information, go to www.ready.gov/winter-weather.