How To Survive a Snow Storm

Nearly the entire midwest and northeast is expected to receive a significant amount of snow pretty soon, which the local and national news routinely laments. Since most people find snow a nuisance, and a significant subset of these people like to voice their displeasure about it, I thought I would be proactive and offer some advice about surviving in the snow. Perhaps these people will heed my advice and won't need a reason to complain, but even if they do I can ignore them.

The number one thing to remember in an uncertain situation is to stay calm. It is most likely that you have the tools at hand to ease your discomfort, but anxiety or panic often overwhelms the ability to plan and act. With a snow storm in particular, most cases of "survival" stem from either losing power in the home or being stuck outside in a car. Both of these scenarios offer more protection from the elements than any kind of shelter you could come up with on your own, so stay inside unless absolutely necessary.

For any winter situation, several layers of clothing is better than one large item since the trapped air will insulate well and you can regulate your body temperature by shedding clothing if necessary. Avoid sweating because it will freeze and you will increase your chance of frostbite. Wear a hat or winter cap since your head loses a lot of heat if uncovered. Intentionally perform tasks more slowly to avoid mistakes and wasting energy. Keep a positive attitude and make sure that someone can find you if you're off the beaten path.

If you plan on driving in your car in cold weather, add a blanket to your trunk or backseat, and as always have a flashlight, jumper cables, towel, some granola bars and water in the car. When driving, it is obvious that you should drive more carefully. What is less obvious is that you should assume that bridges are frozen even if the road isn't (since the undercurrent of air can significantly lower surface temperatures) and maintain a steady rpm while going across the bridge to minimize the chance of spinning out. If you do start to spin out, direct the car to the shoulder of the road. This should help you avoid running into oncoming traffic and should also help you regain some traction since the shoulder is less used and more likely to have snow or other debris. Also, if you don't regain traction you will at least be slowed by the guardrail or curb (obviously if the edge of the road drops off precipitously don't drive toward it). If you're stuck in the snow while in your car, think about what you have at hand and how to take advantage of them. Remember that, while hot air rises, car glass doesn't insulate well and a lot of the heat excapes through them so it's best to get in the backseat and lie down. If it's not that bad outside you can get out and pack snow on the windows to help insulate them. Try to plan how you will survive for twice the amount of time you expect to be stuck. Get the towel out of your car shut the driver's side (front or rear) door on it so that most of it is hanging outside. Make sure you maintain circulation in your fingers and toes by moving them (don't rub cold skin, but you can cover it to warm it). Run your car for a few minutes every hour to maintain heat. If you don't have any gas left and are alone without a blanket, you can tear up a seat cushion; if you are with someone body warmth is your best option.

If you're snowed in at your home, realize that you're in the best position so survive. It is likely you have several days of food available that you can eat even if uncooked, so make sure you get them out and at the ready. Open the doors under the sinks and turn on the water slightly to help keep the pipes from freezing. If the power goes out, close any unneeded doors and stay in a room or two to conserve heat. Take a blanket and cover the windows to help insulate them.

Overall, remember that snow is a good insulator and can offer protection from cold weather. Do what you can to keep your clothes dry, though, since wet clothing is not good. Your biggest risks are hypothermia, caused by losing more heat than is being produced, and frostbite, caused by overexposure to the cold. For hypothermia, look out for stumbling, mumbling, fumbling, and grumbling. Treatment is by getting warm as best as possible. Keep your torso and head warm. For frostbite, look out for red or very pale skin that is tingling, stinging, or throbbing in severe cases. Treatment is by quickly rewarming the area (DON'T RUB) and trying to reduce the pain that accompanies this rewarming process. Finally, eating snow isn't advisable; it's better to melt it first if you're looking to drink it.