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In winter the air outside can get very cold. A winter storm happens when heavy rain falls in cold enough air to turn to ice, or to fall as sleet or snow. It can mean freezing rain and ice, a few hours of moderate snow, or a blizzard that lasts days. Storms may bring strong winds, ice, sleet and freezing rain, and can knock out heat, power and communications for days or weeks, while icy roads cause serious accidents. Dangerously low temperatures can lead to hypothermia or frostbite, and people are sometimes hurt or die from too long in the cold. Almost everyone in the United States can be affected by winter storms and extreme cold. This page, from FEMA’s Ready.gov kids section, explains what to do.
Words to know
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Freezing rain | Rain that freezes when it hits the ground, leaving a layer of ice on roads, walkways, trees and power lines |
| Sleet | Rain that turns to ice before reaching the ground |
| Hypothermia | A condition in which body temperature drops below what is needed to be healthy and work properly |
| Frostbite | Damage to skin or body tissue from freezing |
| Winter storm watch | Severe winter conditions may affect your area |
| Winter storm warning | A lot of snow or sleet is expected in the next few hours or the next day |
Before
Image from Ready.gov’s page.
- Build an emergency kit to last several days or weeks at home, and make a family communications plan.
- Help parents spread rock salt, sand or kitty litter on sidewalks and walkways so they are less slippery.
- Dress warmly, have extra blankets and bring pets inside, since cold can hurt them too.
During
- Stay inside. Sidewalks can be slippery and a fall can hurt.
- If you help shovel snow, wear a hat to keep from losing body heat, and cover all exposed skin with layers, a scarf over the mouth and mittens, which are warmer than gloves. Change into dry clothes as soon as you come in.
- If you cannot feel your fingers, toes, ears or nose, or they look white or grayish-yellow, tell a grown-up right away. That is frostbite and you may need a doctor.
- If you cannot stop shivering, have trouble remembering, feel tired or talk strangely, tell a grown-up at once: you may have hypothermia, which can be very dangerous.
- If your family uses a generator, it must be outside and away from the house, to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.
- If home loses power, you can go to a designated public shelter or warming center.
After
Keep wearing layers, a hat, a scarf and mittens or gloves to stay warm and guard against frostbite and hypothermia, and remind parents to clean surfaces people touch often, like doorknobs, light switches and remote controls.
Did you know?
Image from Ready.gov’s page.
Hypothermia is an unusually low body temperature. Signs can be shivering, exhaustion, confusion, fumbling hands, memory loss, slurred speech or drowsiness. Someone showing signs should get to a warm room, with the center of the body warmed first, such as head, neck and chest, kept dry and wrapped in warm blankets including head and neck.
Image from Ready.gov’s page.
Frostbite causes a loss of feeling and color in the face, fingers or toes. Skin may be numb, white or grayish-yellow, and firm or waxy. Go to a warm room and soak the area in warm water. Do not massage it or use a heating pad.
Sources
- FEMA, Ready.gov kids, Winter Weather (the recorded source address, ready.gov/winter-weather, is the adult page; this page was imported from the kids address); rewritten in hubnx’s own words.
Licens: CC0 1.0 (offentligt eje) · Bearbejdet efter www.ready.gov
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