01/23/2026
*****A major Winter Storm is coming and will impact multiple states/areas throughout the US, even extending cold temperatures as far south as Florida! About 230 million people will experience extreme cold below 20 °F. Here are some tips:
1. Seal your home as best you can by caulking, weather stripping, drawn curtains/blinds, etc. to keep the cold out. Stop all drafts.
2. Keep the heat at 60 degrees or higher all the time. Lowering below 60 may cause issues.
3. To prevent pipes from freezing, keep faucets dripping. Know how to turn off the water supply/main water valve should a pipe burst.
4. Power outages are possible: top up your generator. Maybe a portable generator, too?
5. Stock up with water and food for at least 3 days.
6. A bag of rock salt/sand can help reduce ice at entryways and paths.
7. Keep your electronics, car, etc. fully charged, tank full, and have extra batteries if needed. NEVER run a fuel-powered car or generator indoors.
8. Opening the kitchen and bathroom cabinets allows heat to circulate more freely.
9. Close off unused rooms to conserve heat.
10. Do you have a flashlight? Battery-operated radio? Landline?
11. Stay home. Keep off the roads.
12. Shoveling heavy snow is dangerous because it combines intense physical exertion with cold temperatures, constricting blood vessels, and raising blood pressure, creating a "perfect storm" for heart attacks.
