Winter storms can bring extreme cold, freezing rain, sleet, heavy snowfall, ice, and high winds. These storms create a higher risk of car accidents, hypothermia, frostbite, carbon monoxide poisoning, and heart attacks from overexertion.
The leading cause of death during winter storms is transportation accidents.
Preparing for cold weather conditions and responding to them effectively can reduce the dangers caused by winter storms. Even when you are safe indoors, a winter storm can cause power outages, structural damage and loss of communication services.
Winter Driving
Snow, sleet, ice and temperatures below freezing all have a huge effect on driving conditions. During the winter season, safety depends on the driver’s performance in winter hazards, vehicle maintenance, and common sense.
The leading cause of death during winter storms is transportation accidents. Preparing your vehicle for the winter season and knowing how to react if stranded or lost on the road are the keys to safe winter driving.
What to do before, during and after winter weather
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Create an emergency supply kit for your car. Include jumper cables, sand, a flashlight, warm clothes, blankets, bottled water, and non-perishable snacks. Keep the gas tank full.
Winterize Your Home
Prepare your home to keep out the cold with insulation, caulking, and weather stripping. Learn how to keep pipes from freezing. Install and test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors with battery backups.
Gather supplies in case you need to stay home for several days without power. Keep in mind each person’s specific needs, including medication. Do not forget the needs of pets. Have extra batteries for radios and flashlights.
Stay indoors and monitor the weather. Listen to the radio or TV for current information.
Avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. Only use generators and grills outdoors and away from windows. Never heat your home with a gas stovetop or oven.
Limit your time outside. If you need to go outside, wear layers of warm clothing. Watch for signs of frostbite and hypothermia.
Bring pets indoors if possible, especially at night or during the day’s coldest hours. Limit their time outside. If your pet must stay outside, provide a dry, draft-free shelter that’s large enough for your pet to move around. You can use straw or hay for insulation.
If you shovel snow, stretch to help warm up your body. Also, take frequent breaks.
Avoid overexertion. Cold weather puts added strain on the heart. Unaccustomed exercise such as shoveling snow can bring on a heart attack or make other medical conditions worse.
Check on neighbors. Older adults and young children are more at risk in extreme cold.
Look up travel conditions and only travel is absolutely necessary. Check the Iowa DOT 511 website for the latest information.
Monitor for frostbite and hypothermia.
Frostbite causes loss of feeling and color around the face, fingers, and toes.
Signs: Numbness, white or grayish yellow skin, and firm or waxy skin
Actions: Go to a warm room. Soak in warm water. Use body heat to warm. Do not massage or use a heating pad.
Hypothermia is an unusually low body temperature. A temperature below 95 degrees is an emergency.
Actions: Go to a warm room. Warm the center of the body first—chest, neck, head, and groin. Keep dry and wrapped up in warm blankets, including the head and neck.
Avoid overexertion from shoveling or walking through deep snow. Cold weather puts added strain on the heart. Unaccustomed exercise such as shoveling snow can bring on a heart attack or make other medical conditions worse.
Iowa Disaster History - April Blizzard of 1973
The April Blizzard of 1973
14
fatalities
371,802
livestock lost (est)
16 foot
snowdrifts
65 mph
wind gusts
Iowa Disaster History
April Blizzard of 1973
Possibly the worst April blizzard on record, snowfall totals of 20.3 inches at Belle Plaine and 19.2 inches at Dubuque set all-time storm total records at those locations.
