Now is a good time to prepare for winter

Temperatures will soon make their way toward freezing, accompanied by the opportunity for snow and ice.

That makes it a good time to get prepared for winter weather.

Toward that effort, Gov. Brad Henry has proclaimed Tuesday as Winter Weather Preparedness Day, according to a press release from the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management.

In honor of the day, Woodward City and County Emergency Management Director Matt Lehenbauer has suggested some tips for winter weather.

One of the first things people need to realize, Lehenbauer said, is that winter weather is hard to predict.

“It might predict rain and we could end up with snow or ice or an ice storm,” he said. “The science behind winter weather forecasting is not there yet. We’re trying to educate the public how to stay abreast of a weather forecast.”

One way to update information is by signing up for winter alerts through Twitter, which can share information through a cell phone, he said.

To get Woodward County weather alerts on Twitter, Lehenbauer said to sign on at twitter.com/wcoem.

“We do Twitter alerts that can be forwarded to cell phones and e-mail addresses,” he said.

The alerts notify of road closings and other emergency information, he said.

Weather alerts are also available through www.oem.ok.gov, he said.

“Of course, the main thing is to know what’s going on if you have to travel longer distances,” he said, noting that for travel, drivers should keep blankets in their cars and have a cell phone available for 911 alerts.

“Take measures to stay warm,” he said.

Last winter in Northwest Oklahoma, several people were stranded for hours in the March snowstorm, he said.

If a person is stranded in a snow storm and has to get out of the vehicle and walk, “that can be a big problem,” he said. “We recommend staying in the car.”

One of the biggest hazards for drivers is the first ice storm of the year, he said.

“There are always a lot of accidents, because folks have forgotten ... how to drive on the ice,” he said. “They hit a patch of black ice and lose control.”

Use extra caution, he said.

As for the home, if the electricity goes out, residents should not use an outdoor gas fueled space heater inside to stay warm, he said.

“We get a lot of carbon monoxide calls several times a year” because of portable gas heaters that are not designed for use in a home.

The heaters “burn up too much of the oxygen in the home," he said.

If the power goes out, use a generator, he said. But make sure to use a cut off switch, to prevent power surges from going out over power lines when they’re connected up again.

Finally, he said, people should have a good understanding of what winter storm warnings mean.

A blizzard warning means winds of 35 mph or more and low visibility, he said.

A winter storm warning means heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain.

“A winter storm warning is 12 hours or more before the weather arrives,” he said.

An ice storm warning means an ice storm is 12 hours away as well, he said.

Of course, staying tuned to the TV and radio are important.

A recon emergency warning system receiver can be purchased to receive local weather forecasts and winter alerts, he said.

In addition, he said, Twitter alerts will be sent over car radios in the form of a text message from emergency management.

“Those are the best ... ways to keep up with it,” Lehenbauer said.