Winter Storm Prep

[CGB]

Apparently, we have a doozy of a winter storm headed our way. Local weather forecasters, as well as the YouTube weathermen, are all excited. Last night, I heard things like "ice storm* and "power outages" and "possible more snow" in their commentary. After losing power for a week back in 2007 due to an ice storm, I take winter storms seriously. I plan to hit the stores today to avoid the crazy rush as it gets closer. DH will be checking the generator & gas cans today. Laundry, baking, moving wood closer to the house, and maybe a couple batches of soup are all on my agenda.

Anything else? What am I forgetting?

 

[citruscurtis]

Prescriptions... batteries...cell phone battery usage tarps for roof damage and what is the age of your car battery

 

[DanceDisney23]

You mentioned a generator, so you might be fine during a power outage, but I would probably add candles and flashlights for lighting and a camping stove to warm up that soup, just in case.

 

[hertamaniac]

From my experiences with a hurricane preparation kit: manual can opener, bottled water, lantern (battery operated), flashlights in case cell phone goes dead, charger for cell phone via vehicle's outlet, radio and of course, non-perishable foods (canned).

 

[jo-jo]

Along with all the above suggestions.........

If it was me, as the storm got active, I'd be filling a thermos or two with hot water/coffee. Also make fridge and freezer a couple of degrees colder and the house a few degrees warmer.

Have kids, download some movies on tablets.

I keep a pack (I think 8 cans) of sterno on hand. Put a few together, get enough heat to cook quick food. I put inside a turkey roaster on a rack. Lay another rack over the the pan to cook on. Lay a piece of wood or a something like a concrete patio paver under to protect table surface. Boil water, make soup, fry an egg, not going to make a pot roast LOL. I would not use them as a heat source. Heat up food and extinguished. Too big of a flame to be unattended.

I also keep about 10-15 packs of hot hands around.

Have any solar string lights about from Christmas. Put charging plate in window, you got light each night. Be sure to close all drapes at night, open during day if sun is shining.

If you lose power/heat, open up cabinet doors by any sinks. Let the warmish air circulate around pipes. Let water drip a bit.

Yeah, no idea how to manage DVC stuff, LL, or how to post pictures , but I can survive a snow storm.

 

[leebee]

We are on town water and sewage so I don't worry so much, but if you have a well, fill your tub with water so you can flush, in case there is an issue with your generator. Also, when snow's coming, we make sure the grill is under the overhang of the house and that the propane is filled. We don't have a generator, and it gets ugly around here if there is no coffee in the morning!

 

[Mle8308]

Along with all the above suggestions.........

If it was me, as the storm got active, I'd be filling a thermos or two with hot water/coffee. Also make fridge and freezer a couple of degrees colder and the house a few degrees warmer.

Have kids, download some movies on tablets.

I keep a pack (I think 8 cans) of sterno on hand. Put a few together, get enough heat to cook quick food. I put inside a turkey roaster on a rack. Lay another rack over the the pan to cook on. Lay a piece of wood or a something like a concrete patio paver under to protect table surface. Boil water, make soup, fry an egg, not going to make a pot roast LOL. I would not use them as a heat source. Heat up food and extinguished. Too big of a flame to be unattended.

I also keep about 10-15 packs of hot hands around.

Have any solar string lights about from Christmas. Put charging plate in window, you got light each night. Be sure to close all drapes at night, open during day if sun is shining.

If you lose power/heat, open up cabinet doors by any sinks. Let the warmish air circulate around pipes. Let water drip a bit.

Yeah, no idea how to manage DVC stuff, LL, or how to post pictures , but I can survive a snow storm.

No need for this, if it's cold enough out for an ice storm, just put perishables outside! Have a cooler ready to go. Other ideas are good!

 

[jo-jo]

No need for this, if it's cold enough out for an ice storm, just put perishables outside! Have a cooler ready to go. Other ideas are good!

True, but do you really want to open the outside door losing heat each time to grab something. I agree with the cooler. We have done that with a few items, just to not open fridge for a string cheese or a bottle of soda.

 

[barkley]

Prescriptions

absolutly-when we had a bad ice storm it knocked out power and internet so the pharmacies were a mess.

We don't have a generator, and it gets ugly around here if there is no coffee in the morning!

we had a neighbor who prepped like crazy down to the camping coffee pot he could put on his little wood stove. he forgot that he was in the habit of buying whole bean coffee and without power luckily we had an antique coffee grinder we could loan out (he stocked some ground in his supplies after that).

No need for this, if it's cold enough out for an ice storm, just put perishables outside! Have a cooler ready to go

True, but do you really want to open the outside door losing heat each time to grab something.

if you have an attached garage check the ambient temperature in there. ours is insulated but it's still around fridge temp during the winter months (but above freezing which i why i can store canned and jarred goods there). use the workbench or a card table for refrigerated items. you can squeeze in and out without losing as much warm air (and if you've got 2 doors due to a laundry or mudroom in-between then it will bare the brunt of the cold air seepage vs. the living areas).

 

[mikehn]

booze

 

[CGB]

Thanks for all the great advice! The grocery shopping is finished.... and yes, the snow crowds were already starting. I giggled when I told DH "... and you thought I was crazy! Aren't you glad we didn't wait until Saturday?"

I'm off again to go buy a couple of new tarps to recover the wood piles and my little feral kitty's outdoor domain under the deck. Maybe I'll be able to convince him that inside is really the place he wants to be.

 

[Nancyg56]

I start my storm prep in October. I make sure that I have a shelf with paper goods: plates, cups and plastic silverware.
Batteries, flashlights and 2 lanterns.

Canned food: peanut butter, jelly, canned tuna and condiments. canned soup and packages that I can make in a pinch on my burner
Plenty of water.

I have a single burner camp stove that uses those little propane canisters, so I have some of those on hand as well.
I have 2 induction burners that I can use with teh generator, a Blackstone that has plenty of propane, and my husband makes sure we have gas cans filled throughout the winter months

We have a generator, but you never know.

If I see that a storm is on the horizon I dont wait to get supplies. I dont like to drive in snow and I prefer not to go outside to cook in snow, so I pick up bread, snacks, sandwich meat and cheese.

Wine and I make sure we have brandy.

I got stuck one time the first year we were married. An ice storm came out of no where, blew out the transformer in front of our house and we were done for 8 days. No generator, dishes in the sink because we had just finished dinner. It was a Friday and I needed to vacuum, but that was out. Now, I make sure my home is clean, I have no laundry my beds are changed, and we have enough to last a week. When Alfred hit everyone laughed because everything was filled in my home, the trucks, my car, the propane tanks. We had food and my house was spotless. We had 30 people sheltering for one full day, and 8 to 10 daily after that until the power went back on for each family. We were out for 12 days.

 

[Nancyg56]

If you have room, freeze gallons of water. That way your freezer is full and will stay longer.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

We have multiple power banks for cell phones at least that I always charge up when weather is anticipated to come. Along with that for the winter I ensure the battery for our battery operated snow thrower is charged up in advance of anticipated weather.

FWIW we're also in the path of a winter storm this weekend, the weather reports have us on the edge of ice/sleet/mix and heavy snowfall with not enough to go off of to know for sure what our impact may be some think more ice some think more snow, but we are now under a winter storm watch from 1/4 to 1/6 and I just got delivered some snow melt since we're anticipated to have ice/sleet.

I do tend to do some laundry ahead of time if I have enough (which I am doing that today some towels and other clothes). We look at what foods we have. If you have pets ensure you have enough supplies for that. We have a cat and I just got more wet cat food as I was low and would have needed to get some this weekend but the storm is on its way. We have enough cat liter and dry food though already.

 

[snacks]

Where is this happening?

 

[mylilnikita]

Where is this happening?

Winter storm Blair stretching from the Midwest to the mid Atlantic.

 

[mylilnikita]

Duplicate post

 

[CGB]

I think we're ready. Our local community has been sending out notices for days at this point. The storm is supposed to start tonight and forecasts are all over the place. At the moment, it's just supposed to be snow and sleet for us.... but I know how winter storms can shift. Good luck to anyone else affected.

 

[Kitty 34]

My son lives near Indianapolis. They're suppose to get between 4 to 8 inches. They're hoping it's just 4.

 

[LoveDaisy]

I’m in New England people only get bread and milk lol. Only once do I remember things being closed more than a day so I’m not a prepper. Lots of good advice above from those who live in areas with severe weather.