Preparing for a blizzard means having enough food, water, heat, and supplies to keep your household safe and self-sufficient for at least 72 hours, and ideally longer. A blizzard isn’t just heavy snow. The National Weather Service defines it as sustained winds or frequent gusts of 35 mph or greater with visibility dropping below a quarter mile, lasting three hours or more. Those conditions can knock out power, trap you at home for days, and make roads impassable. Here’s how to get ready before the storm hits.
Stock Food, Water, and Medications First
Water is the most critical supply. FEMA recommends storing at least one gallon per person per day, and a two-week supply per household member is the gold standard. That sounds like a lot, but it covers drinking, cooking, and basic hygiene. For a family of four, two weeks means 56 gallons. At minimum, aim for a three-day supply and work up from there.
For food, keep at least three days of nonperishable items that don’t require cooking or refrigeration: canned soups, peanut butter, crackers, dried fruit, granola bars, and canned vegetables. A manual can opener is easy to forget and impossible to replace mid-storm. If you have an infant, stock formula and baby food. Don’t overlook prescription medications. Refill anything that’s running low before the storm, because pharmacies may close and roads may be impassable for days.
Protect Your Pipes and Heat Source
Burst pipes are one of the most common and expensive consequences of a blizzard. When temperatures plummet, blood vessels aren’t the only things that constrict. Water inside uninsulated pipes can freeze, expand, and crack the pipe open. The U.S. Department of Energy recommends insulating exposed pipes, especially those running through unheated spaces like basements, attics, and garages. Letting faucets drip slightly during extreme cold keeps water moving and reduces the chance of a freeze. Open cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls to let warmer indoor air reach the plumbing.
Keep your thermostat set to a consistent temperature day and night. Many people lower the heat at bedtime, but during a blizzard that can let interior wall temperatures drop enough to freeze pipes. If you’ll be away from home, don’t turn the heat off entirely.
If your power goes out and you rely on electric heat, have a backup plan. Extra blankets, sleeping bags, and warm clothing are essential. If you use a space heater, keep it at least three feet from anything flammable and never leave it running while you sleep.
Generator and Carbon Monoxide Safety
Portable generators save lives during extended outages, but they also kill. Carbon monoxide from a generator is odorless and can reach lethal concentrations in minutes indoors. Place any portable generator outdoors, at least 20 feet from your home’s doors, windows, and vents. Never run one inside a garage, even with the door open.
Install battery-operated carbon monoxide detectors on every level of your home and test them before storm season. The same warning applies to charcoal grills, camp stoves, and propane heaters designed for outdoor use. None of these belong inside your house, no matter how cold it gets.
Keep Your Car Ready
Even if you plan to stay home, your car should be prepared in case you need to evacuate or get stranded on the road. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation recommends keeping a winter survival kit in your back seat rather than the trunk, since trunks can freeze shut. Key items include:
- Blankets or sleeping bags for warmth if you’re stuck for hours
- Extra hats, gloves, and warm socks
- Flashlight with extra batteries
- Drinking water and high-calorie snacks like trail mix or protein bars
- Sand or cat litter for tire traction on ice
- Booster cables and an ice scraper
- Cell phone charger (a car adapter or portable battery pack)
- First-aid kit
Fill your gas tank before the storm. If you’re stranded and need to run the engine for heat, clear snow away from the tailpipe first to prevent carbon monoxide from backing into the cabin. Run the engine for about 10 minutes each hour rather than continuously.
Know the Dangers of Snow Shoveling
Snow shoveling sends thousands of people to the emergency room every year, and not just for back injuries. The Cleveland Clinic compares shoveling heavy snow to peak exertion on a cardiac stress test. Cold air narrows blood vessels and raises blood pressure, and the intense physical effort on top of that puts serious strain on your heart. People who are sedentary, over 50, or have existing heart conditions face the highest risk.
Stop immediately if you feel chest pain, shortness of breath, pain radiating down your arm or into your neck, lightheadedness, nausea, or a cold sweat. These are warning signs of a cardiac event. Even if you’re in good health, take frequent breaks, push snow rather than lifting it when possible, and avoid shoveling right after waking up, when your body is most vulnerable.
Recognize Hypothermia and Frostbite Early
Your normal body temperature sits around 98.6°F. Hypothermia begins when your core temperature drops below that, and it can happen faster than you’d expect, especially if your clothing is wet or you’re exposed to wind. Early symptoms include shivering, confusion, and memory loss. As it progresses, shivering may actually stop, coordination deteriorates, and loss of consciousness follows. In infants, watch for bright red, cold skin and unusual lethargy.
Frostbite targets extremities first: fingers, toes, ears, and nose. The skin turns white or grayish and feels numb or waxy. If you suspect frostbite, get indoors and warm the area gradually with lukewarm (not hot) water. Do not rub frostbitten skin, as that can cause tissue damage.
Protect Your Pets
All dogs, including cold-weather breeds like huskies and malamutes, are susceptible to dangerous temperatures. USDA guidelines state that temperatures must not fall below 45°F for more than four consecutive hours for any dog, and for short-haired breeds, toy breeds, puppies, elderly dogs, or sick animals, the threshold is 50°F. Bring pets inside well before the storm hits.
If an animal must be sheltered outdoors for any reason, the shelter needs a wind break and rain break at the entrance, plus protection from ice and snow. When temperatures drop below 50°F, bedding must be clean and dry. Below 35°F, dogs need additional insulating bedding like straw or blankets, deep enough to burrow into. Continuous access to unfrozen water is non-negotiable in any conditions.
Plan for a Power Outage
Extended power outages are common during blizzards, and your food is on a timer the moment the electricity goes out. A closed refrigerator keeps food safe for about four hours. A full freezer holds its temperature for roughly 48 hours, or 24 hours if it’s only half full, as long as you keep the door shut. Resist the urge to check on things repeatedly.
Charge all phones, laptops, and portable battery packs before the storm. A battery-powered or hand-crank radio gives you access to weather updates if cell service drops. Wireless Emergency Alerts are enabled by default on most smartphones, so you should receive blizzard warnings automatically. On iPhones, you can verify this under Settings, then Notifications, then Government Alerts. On Android phones, search your settings for “Emergency Alerts.”
Have cash on hand. If power is out across your area, card readers and ATMs won’t work. Keep flashlights and extra batteries in accessible locations, and avoid using candles if possible, since house fires spike during winter storms.
Create a Communication Plan
Decide in advance where your household will meet if you’re separated and how you’ll check in with family members who live elsewhere. Pick an out-of-area contact as a central point person, since local phone lines may be jammed while long-distance calls go through. Write down important phone numbers on paper. If your phone dies, you won’t be able to pull them from a dead screen.
Know the location of your nearest emergency shelter before the storm. Local emergency management agencies and the Red Cross typically open shelters during severe blizzards, and you can find locations through local news or by texting SHELTER and your ZIP code to 43362.