Winter Weather Preparedness

It's always a great idea to review winter weather safety tips, even if wintry precipitation is not in the immediate forecast. By staying prepared, you can reduce risks and ensure safety for yourself and others.

For weather updates, visit the National Weather Service’s Newport/Morehead City website.

Know Your Risk for Winter Storms

Winter weather creates a higher risk of car accidents, hypothermia, frostbite, carbon monoxide poisoning, and heart attacks from overexertion. View the CDC's Extreme Cold Weather Guide

A winter storm can:

Last a few hours or several days.
Cut off heat, power, and communication services.
Put older adults, children, sick individuals and pets at greater risk.

No matter if it is winter weather, a hurricane, or another type of disaster, it’s critical to always have a plan in place (make a plan) and supplies stocked (build a kit).

Home Safety Tips

NEVER use a charcoal grill, stove, or oven to heat your home.
Maintain heating equipment and chimneys by having them cleaned and inspected each year by a professional.
Use caution with candles. They should be placed in a sturdy holder and placed at least 12” from anything that can burn. NEVER leave them burning unattended or overnight.
Install working carbon monoxide detectors on every level of your home. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that can kill you, your family and pets.

Frozen Pipes

Water has a unique property in that it expands as it freezes. This expansion puts tremendous pressure on whatever is containing it, including metal or plastic pipes. No matter the strength of a container, expanding water can cause pipes to break.

Pipes that freeze most frequently are:

Pipes that are exposed to severe cold, like outdoor hose bibs, swimming pool supply lines, and water sprinkler lines.
Water supply pipes in unheated interior areas like basements and crawl spaces, attics, garages, or kitchen cabinets.
Pipes that run against exterior walls that have little or no insulation.

Click on this link to learn how to protect pipes from freezing and how to thaw frozen pipes.

Preparing for Power Outages

Winter storms may bring power outages that can disrupt things like communications, utilities, transportation, stores, gas stations and ATMs, and prevent your ability to use electrically powered medical devices. It’s important to be prepared for power outages.

Keep freezers and refrigerators closed. Throw away any food that has been exposed to temperatures 40 degrees or higher for two hours or more, or that has an unusual odor, color or texture.
If you use a generator, ONLY use it outdoors and away from windows. (Learn how to use a generator safely.)
Do not use a gas stove or oven to heat your home.
Disconnect appliances and electronics to avoid damage from electrical surges.
Have alternate plans for refrigerating medicines or using power-dependent medical devices.
Go to a community location with power if cold is extreme and you can’t heat your home.

Click here for more tips on power outages.

To see if an outage has occurred in your area, or to make a report of one, please visit Dominion Energy's website or call 1-866-366-4357.

Travel Safety Tips

During a winter weather event, if possible, stay off the roads. If you must travel, check for local road condition updates. Create an emergency supply kit for your car. Include jumper cables, sand, a flashlight, warm clothes, blankets, bottled water and non-perishable snacks. Keep a full tank of gas.

Don't let black ice sneak up on you:

Black ice can form on any road, but also along curbs and drainage areas due to melting snow.
More prevalent at night, but can still be around in the morning.
Use caution when driving during freezing temperatures, after rain, or snowmelt.

For updates regarding road conditions, please visit DriveNC.gov and follow North Carolina Department of Transportation and NCDOT NC 12 on Facebook.