
Heather N. Kolich, ANR Agent, UGA Extension Forsyth County
After our hot, dry fall, it may be hard to imagine dealing with winter storms this season. But the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasts a neutral winter for us, and that means more warm-to-cold-to warm temperature swings, according to UGA Agricultural Climatologist Pam Knox.
I remember one winter not so long ago when we had snow on Thanksgiving, and Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Daytime warming melts snow, which refreezes into ice overnight. Layers of ice are heavy enough to bring down tree branches and power lines, potentially leaving us without power or road access to grocery stores and medical services. Icy roads can also leave us stranded, as many experienced during the January 2014 “Snowmageddon.”
Prepare to shelter at home
As you do routine grocery shopping, purchase one or two extra shelf-stable, ready-to-eat canned goods, like non-condensed soup, canned chicken breast and tuna, pasta meals, and vegetables. This builds your emergency food supply without adding too much to your grocery bill each week. Unlike frozen foods, canned foods can outlast a long power outage. Make sure you have a manual can opener, too. Dry foods like pasta and rice are stable, but they require water and cooking, luxuries that may be in short supply during a storm. The Federal Emergency Management Agency recommends stocking at least a three-day supply of adequate nutrition, water and prescription medications for each family member, including pets and livestock. Why three days? That’s how long it may take to restore electricity and clear roads of ice, fallen trees and other hazards. But as we’ve seen with recent natural disasters, actual restoration of electricity, water and transportation can take much longer.
To get through disruptive storms or other emergencies you’ll also need:
- Water – one gallon per person per day for drinking and hygiene
- Alternate heat source and fuel, such as firewood for your fireplace
- Flashlights with extra batteries
- NOAA weather radio
- First aid kit
- Entertainment – board games, cards and books help keep boredom and cabin fever at bay
What to do if your power goes out
In power failures, use foods from the refrigerator first, then frozen foods, then canned foods. If your oven doesn’t work without electricity, use coals in your fireplace to heat food. Use cast iron cookware if you have it, or place food in pockets of aluminum foil. Remember Hobo Packs from summer camp?

Alternatively, you can cook outside on your grill. Don’t bring your grill inside; this can cause deadly carbon monoxide to build up in your home.
Fill some clean containers with water. If there’s space in your freezer, make ice. It helps keep frozen foods frozen longer without power. Fill your bathtub with water for washing and to refill the toilet tank for flushing, if necessary. Opening cabinet doors and leaving a faucet dripping can help to keep the water in your pipes from freezing.
To stay warm, centralize the family in one room, preferably one with a fireplace or woodstove, and close the doors to other rooms. Bring blankets, books, and games to help the time pass.
If you must venture outside, bundle up, including gloves and a warm hat that covers your ears.
Prepare your car for travel emergencies

Winter storms and icy conditions pose road hazards. Prepare your car for road emergencies with a survival kit that contains:
- Warm clothes
- Sturdy walking shoes with warm socks
- Heavy work gloves
- Blanket or sleeping bag
- Hand-crank flashlight and radio
- Bottled water and ready-to-eat foods
- Toiletry items
- Reflective vest
It’s a good idea to have a similar kit at work, too, in case you need to shelter in place there. Look for more emergency preparedness resources at https://extension.uga.edu/topic-areas/timely-topics/emergencies.html.