Winter Weather Awareness

Tomorrow begins Winter Awareness Week in Kentucky and several surrounding states with the exception of Missouri which is November 17th.  Below is the from Paducah National Weather Service. 

Today's Topic: Ice Storms - Winter's Destructive Power

Still fresh in the minds of most Kentuckians, the ice storm of January 26-28, 2009 wreaked havoc on the state's utility infrastructure. The total number of outages set a new state record. The duration of the outages was generally on the order of three to five days for city dwellers, but some rural residents endured weeks without power. Scenes like the one pictured below were the norm across the state. (Photo from Trisha Noble, Shepherdsville, KY, Jan. 2009). 

Shelters filled up as residents sought refuge from their cold, dark homes. A number of fatalities were indirectly blamed on the storm. Fires were caused by improper use of alternate heating or lighting sources. Hypothermia cases spiked. Improper use of generators caused real problems, including carbon monoxide poisoning.  

While many Kentuckians are more prepared for ice storms, we must remain vigilant and ready to help those who are not. Here is what you can do next time an ice storm strikes:

KNOW what to expect: Heavy accumulations of ice can bring down trees and topple utility poles and communication towers. Ice can disrupt communications and power for days while utility companies repair extensive damage. Even small accumulations of ice can be extremely dangerous to motorists and pedestrians. Bridges and overpasses are particularly dangerous because they freeze before other surfaces.

STAY INFORMED: NOAA Weather Radio is the best means to receive warnings from the National Weather Service. The National Weather Service continuously broadcasts warnings and forecasts that can be received by NOAA Weather Radios, which are sold in many stores. The average range is 40 miles, depending on topography. Purchase a radio that has a battery back-up and a Specific Area Message Encoder feature, which automatically alerts you when a watch or warning is issued for your county.
At home or at work -  Make sure you have:

• Extra flashlights and batteries
• A battery-powered NOAA Weather Radio or AM/FM portable radio
• Extra food and water (2-3 day supply)
• Extra medicine and baby items
• First Aid supplies
• Emergency Heating source**
• Carbon Monoxide Detector

** If you use an emergency heating source, be alert for deadly carbon monoxide gases and never place it near another object that may catch on fire.  Many house fires during the winter are caused by incorrect use of a space heater.  Keep the space heater at least 36 inches away from other objects and turn it off if you leave the room.
TRAVELLING - Avoid doing so if possible. If you must travel:

• Watch for low-hanging or downed power lines and tree limbs.
• Keep in mind that road conditions may be extremely variable. Bridges become icy first.
• Carry a winter survival kit in your vehicle in case you become stuck. The contents of a winter survival kit include...
  • Extra blankets or sleeping bag
  • Flashlight with extra batteries
  • First Aid kit with pocket knife
  • Booster cables
  • A rope
  • A small shovel
  • A bag of sand or cat litter for traction
  • Plastic bags (for sanitation)
  • Extra gloves, hat, and socks
  • Non-perishable food items and bottled water
  • Road maps (for alternative routes) 

EXTRA INFO: Ever wonder how and why different precipitation types occur in the same winter storm? The graphic below may help explain. In short, it depends on the thickness and temperature of sub-freezing layers within the atmospheric column. These layers can change rather quickly in a short distance. (Image and text below courtesy of the NWS JetStream project).

Freezing rain will occur if the warm layer in the atmosphere is deep with only a shallow layer of below freezing air at the surface. The precipitation can begin as either rain and/or snow but becomes all rain in the warm layer. The rain falls back into the air that is below freezing but since the depth is shallow, the rain does not have time to freeze into sleet.
Upon hitting the ground or objects such as bridges and vehicles, the rain freezes on contact. Some of the most disastrous winter weather storms are due primarily to freezing rain.









The temperatures will be cooler this week with some mornings will be frosty this week.  Thursday night/ Friday maybe the cold est morning.  Rain chances for this week look low with chances on Tuesday and Wednesday.   Maybe another chance on 21st and 22nd we will see as it gets near those dates. 

Daily Weather Discussion from NWS it changes daily

I will try and keep you updated this week with different Winter Weather topics daily this week to promote preparedness.  I know many were unprepared during the one in 2009 including myself.

If the weather changes I will let you know