Tips for preparing your house, vehicle for extreme weather

With a stinging Arctic shot looming, the National Weather Service wants you to be ready for any occurrence. 

Gusty winds might knock out power Saturday night into Sunday, vehicles could suffer mechanical problems, and any time outside will be uncomfortable. 

“The Saturday night through Monday morning period is still expected to be the coldest and windiest of the Arctic outbreaks this season, and for some of the urban areas, this might be coldest February outbreak since 1996,” a National Weather Service briefing warns. 

The good news is that if you haven’t prepared, you’ll have time tonight and tomorrow.  

The National Weather Service offers the following tips:

Minimize travel if possible.
Keep a winter survival kit in your vehicle if you must travel.
Check the tire pressure and antifreeze levels in your vehicle.
Check your battery so you don’t get stranded.
Insulate those pipes, at your residence, susceptible to cold and freezing.
Learn or refresh your memory on how to shut off water valves in case pipes do burst.
With strong winds expected, power outages are likely. Follow instructions carefully when it comes to secondary heat sources to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.
Bring pets in.
Wear layers of loose-fitting, lightweight, warm clothing.
Wear a hat, because 40% of your body heat can be lost from your head.
Cover your mouth to protect your lungs from extreme cold.
Mittens, snug at the wrist, are better than gloves.
Try to stay dry and out of the wind.
Check on the elderly. 

For more information on how to deal with extreme cold, click here.