During the October and November months is generally when people prepare for the upcoming winter season, mentally and physically. November 8th, 2012, has been declared as Nebraska Winter Weather Awareness Day. The average person knows about the common dangers of winter but it’s a good idea to review the dangers and preparedness plans because it’s not like you’re going to know ahead of time when your car’s tire blows out on a County Road in Western Nebraska.
The National Weather Service produced a lengthy and very informative newsletter in honor Nebraska Winter Weather Awareness Day. Here are a few highlights you should know.
Did you know that 50% of cold-related injuries happen to people over 60 years old and more than 75% of cold-related injuries happen to men? Injuries related to ice and snow mostly happen to men over 40 years old and nearly 70% of vehicle accidents are caused from ice and snow when present. Winter weather is no joke.
Nebraska is a windy place and according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), if the wind is blowing at 35 MPH and the outside temperature is 20-below-zero, you can get frostbite in as little as five awful minutes. Wind-chill takes much credit for making winter an unpleasant experience, especially in the morning when you’re brushing snow off your windshield in the bone-cutting wind which results in a runny nose that torments you until lunch time.
Terminology
There is a difference between an Outlook, Advisory, Watch and a Warning. It’s good-to-know info!
The National Weather Service describes each in the newsletter,
OUTLOOK – Hazardous Weather Outlooks are issued everyday, and serve as a “heads-up” that a significant weather event may be possible in the next 7 days.
ADVISORY – An advisory is issued when winter weather events could cause a significant inconvenience, but could also lead to life threatening conditions if not cautious.
WATCH – A watch is issued when winter weather events have the potential to threaten life and property, but the exact timing and location of the storm is uncertain. Watches are normally issued between 12 to 48 hours in advance.
WARNING – A warning is issued when winter weather events are occurring or are imminent and pose a threat to life and property. Warnings are normally issued between 2 and 24 hours in advance.
An advisory, watch and warning have products that are declared ones the standards are met. For example, 3 to 5 inches of snow must accumulate in 12 hours for snow related winter weather advisories to be declared. You can check out all the standards on pages 4-5 of the newsletter.
Prepare
An emergency kit is a good idea; the list describes many things that may save a life.
Road conditions can be checked at this web site maintained by the Nebraska Department of Roads.
Last year North Platte had a total of 16.6” of snow which is only 55% of the normal 28.5” of snow according to records beginning in 1981 to 2010.