TWF 362: Winter Storm "Fern" Arriving Sunday-Monday, Jan 25th-26th

 Hello, friends,

A real short one today to let those of us living under rocks know there's a huge winter storm coming this weekend.  If we're the first place you're hearing this, well, here's your warning to not be scared, but get prepared.

Ryan Hall has the predictions as per usual, though check his channel regularly for updates.

The gist is that it should start snowing (I believe) early Sunday morning and it'll snow into Monday evening.  This is a tricky storm to predict in a tricky place to predict, so we might get 10 inches, we might get a foot and a half.  It's hard to say and we'll get more certain information as we get further along.

This is nothing we haven't seen before, but it's been a while so just take it seriously and be responsible for yourself and those around you.  I know up by me in Mineola they've already salted the roads to make the first pass easier.

Here's our usual winter weather advisories; use as you see fit.  Leave a comment if you see something you'd like to have added.

 - Keep a cell phone handy; a battery-powered radio is a good idea, too.  If you need to report a non-life-threatening emergency, call the Nassau County line at 1-888-684-4274.  For medical emergencies ONLY, use 911.  Charge it up as much as you can as early as you can.  FWIW I recently picked up a few battery banks and a small solar panel to charge them just in case.

- Try to stock up on anything you need before the snow gets heavy.  It goes without saying that if you can't drive safely, if you can't move well, then you are at risk of getting injured while walking around, or crashing your car if you risk driving.  I know it's kind of an old motif, but get your "bread and milk" now.

 - Keep your pets and beloved animals inside!!!  They won't be able to move through a foot and a half of snow any better than you will, and if the temperature is cold out, they can get sick or even freeze to death.  Have some compassion.  "Winter dogs" are the exception; your husky will probably enjoy the storm more than you do.  If you can, put out a large styrofoam box/cooler/something, stuffed with straw (NOT blankets; straw reflects heat), for local stray cats/animals to take shelter in; in these days, compassion is a must.  If you've got some spare pet food, put that out - staying warm burns calories.

 - Help your neighbors clear the snow from their sidewalks if you can.  If possible - and I mean unless you absolutely cannot - clear out a 3-feet circle around your nearby fire hydrants.  (via TJ Johnson.)  Make sure to dress warmly, wear sturdy and stable boots, and take your time shoveling!  If a storm is a big storm, don't be afraid to do it in multiple smaller batches (like 3-4 shovels) versus one big all-at-once.

 - If the power goes out, be careful with candles! Nobody needs a fire!

 - Don't plug space heaters into power strips!  Those things aren't designed to work for space heaters.

 - Get your car off the road!  Park your cars in your driveway, if you can. (Via FFD member Robert Volpe).  Village lots are typically available for public parking if you can't part in your own spots.

 - Try to have cash available!  In the event that there is no electricity to run credit cards or operate ATMs, you'll want to have money around if you need to pay for anything.

 - Once the storm is over, call your friends and family and see if they're alright!