Blowing Rock Emergency Services Joins State Of North Carolina In Urging Residents To Heed Warnings During Winter Awareness Campaign

Blowing Rock Emergency Services, in conjunction with the National Weather Service and North Carolina Division of Crime Control and Public Safety, has endorsed the state’s declaration of the week of December 3-9, 2006, as Winter Weather Awareness Week in North Carolina. Each day during this week, National Weather Service offices serving North Carolina will issue Public Information Statements discussing how winter weather impacts the state.
Last winter season, winter of 2005-2006, remained a fairly quiet one for much of the state. Drought conditions early in the winter finally eased as rainy conditions arrived in late November; however above freezing temperatures were too warm for anything but rain. However, a few rounds of winter weather did impact the state. On December 9th only northwest portions of North Carolina saw a light glaze of ice. A more significant ice storm occurred on December 15th, when a quarter to a half inch of ice coated most of the western North Carolina from the mountains to the western piedmont, including the Triad region. Locations from Tryon in the southern foothills north through Statesville saw numerous downed trees and power lines. But from the Triangle area eastward, the precipitation through the winter months remained just rain. The most significant snow of last season occurred on February 11th of this year, a powerful storm system moved from the Gulf Coast states northeast through North Carolina, dumping up to 1-2 feet of snow in our mountains. Again, aside from about a half inch of wet flakes in the Triad area, central North Carolina came out of the winter relatively unscathed.
So does this mean that we will “pay our dues” this year, with a bad winter? While it’s too early to say with certainty, we can do our part to prepare for the worst, as we hope for the best. One good practice is to keep up with the latest conditions and forecasts from the National Weather Service. If a light accumulation of freezing rain or sleet is forecast, or if snow accumulations of 2 to 4 inches are expected, the NWS will issue a Winter Weather Advisory. If a quarter of an inch of freezing rain, and/or 4 to 5 or more inches of snow is expected, Winter Storm Watches and Warnings are issued. In order to provide the public with as much planning time as possible, Watches can be issued as much as 48 hours in advance. Warnings are issued when the dangerous weather is highly likely or imminent within the next 24 hours.
Anyone who has been in North Carolina for more than a couple of years knows that ice is one of our most common and dangerous winter weather threats. Significant accumulations of ice, in the form of freezing, can bring down trees, power lines and telephone poles. Power and communications services can be disrupted for days, as many residents experienced during the ice storm of December 2002 when millions from the Triangle to the mountains lost power. Even light coatings of ice, called “black ice”, can be very dangerous for drivers and pedestrians, since it’s hard to see and often forms in patches on bridges and overpasses.
Snow is also no stranger to the area. The snow storm of January 2000 is still a vivid memory in the minds of most Triangle residents. During this storm, 18 to 24 inches of snow fell in less than 24 hours resulting in one of the snowiest winters on record.
Most deaths attributed to winter storms results from indirect dangers such as traffic accidents, falling trees, downed power lines, house fires and carbon monoxide poisoning resulting from improper indoor use of heat sources such as grills, stoves, and space heaters.
Preparing for winter weather before it strikes will go a long way to helping to keep you and your loved ones safe through this winter. First, if snow and ice are in the forecast, make sure you have enough nonperishable food, jugs of water, and necessary medicine on hand to last several days. This will help you avoid having to venture out into hazardous conditions, and will help sustain you in the event of widespread power outages or fallen trees that may block roads and keep you at home.
Also, make sure there is enough of the right type of fuel for alternative heat sources such as fireplaces, wood stoves, and space heaters. If you use a space heater, make sure it is in good working order with no loose wires or missing parts. Make sure it is stable, away from curtains or other flammable materials, in a place where it won’t be knocked over. Never use charcoal or gas grills indoors as a source of heat, as carbon monoxide build-ups are deadly.
During a winter storm, the best place to be is safe at home. If you absolutely must venture out in your car, bring a winter survival kit with you. Prepare a kit ahead of time that contains the following materials: a battery-powered NOAA radio with extra batteries, blankets, a first aid kit, a flashlight with extra batteries, battery booster cables and flares, a tire repair kit and pump, a road map, a sack of cat litter (for tire traction), a tow rope, bottled water and non-perishable high-energy foods such as granola bars, extra clothing to keep dry, and a windshield scraper and brush.
Finally, during cold and wintry weather, we must not forget our furry friends. Make sure that your pets have plenty of food, water, and warm shelter. During particularly cold conditions, consider bringing indoors any pets that are normally kept outside.
You can keep up with winter forecasts, warnings and advisories by visiting the Blacksburg NWS online at HYPERLINK "http://weather.gov/blacksburg" http://weather.gov/blacksburg.
For the latest road conditions and access to web cameras statewide, visit the Department of Transportation online at HYPERLINK "http://www.ncsmartlink.org/" http://www.ncsmartlink.org. And for more winter weather safety tips, visit HYPERLINK "http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/winter/" http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/winter/.
“All of us in Blowing Rock Emergency Services Department joins the National Weather Service wish you a safe winter season,” said Kent Graham, Director of Emergency Services for the Town of Blowing Rock.