Clanton – According to the Huntsville National Weather Service, rain overnight Thursday night will transition to wintry precipitation on Friday. A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for northwest Alabama, portions of north Alabama north of the Tennessee River and southern Middle TN for light ice/snow/sleet accumulations. The time to prepare for any potential winter weather event is before the storm arrives. Below are some tips to help you and your family better prepare for severe winter weather.
- Make a Family Communications Plan. Your family may not be together when disaster strikes, so it is important to know how you will contact one another, how you will get back together and what you will do in case of an emergency.
- Make an emergency kit for at least three days of self-sufficiency.
- Keep space heater safety in mind: Use electric space heaters with automatic shut-off switches and non-glowing elements. Remember to keep all heat sources at least three feet away from furniture and drapes.
- Keep an extra emergency kit specifically created for your car. In addition to the basic essentials, consider adding a portable cell phone charger, ice scraper, extra blanket, sand for traction and jumper cables.
- Plan to check on elderly/disabled relatives and neighbors.
- Plan to bring pets inside.
- Motorists needing information on road conditions in Alabama should look to local news media and go to ALGOtraffic.com or download the ALGO Traffic app available online in the Apple App Store and on Google Play. ALDOT asks motorists to use ALGOtraffic.com responsibly. Motorists should never text, tweet, or use a mobile device while operating a vehicle.
- Avoid driving it at all possible when icy or other extremely hazardous driving conditions develop in your area.
- If you must travel, drive with extreme caution.
For more information on this winter weather event visit http://www.weather.gov/hun/
###