Disaster Recovery News

Photo by Barbara L. Hanson

The Midwest and Plain states are bracing for a storm that has started to roll through the region. The storm is worse than first thought and has canceled several travel plans…and this is just the beginning. The severe winter conditions are expected to get worse on Thursday morning, with the heaviest snowfall expected through Saturday. Snow accumulations can get as high as 18 inches in some areas. Wind speeds go be as fast as 45 mph.

“The state Department of Transportation warned that travel would be almost impossible in northeast Kansas by Thursday afternoon.”

“I hate to use the word impossible, but if there is any storm that would be giving us impossible travel conditions, it would be this one. We have not seen a storm of this magnitude in an awfully long time, and that it just happens to occur over the Christmas holiday makes it that much more important to get the message out.”

Photo by joka2000

Denver received almost a foot of snow this weekend in a very short amount of time. The Front Range and east plains also did not get left out. USA Today reported the snow was deep enough for some of the airlines at Denver International Airport to have cancelled flights.

The National Weather Service had issued snow advisories in the affected area, but cancelled their warnings after the snow had stopped falling in the Denver area.

Areas of Colorado’s eastern plains also had snow warnings, but they were not cancelled as they had strong winds that made visibility impossible at times. Hundreds of people were called from the Colorado Department of Transportation to help get the roads cleaned-up across the areas affected.

Knowing that sudden cold weather can unexpectedly hit, home and business owners should make it a priority to winterize their buildings and homes. One of the most important things to focus on is making sure pipes do not freeze and burst, which can cause flooding. With the holidays coming up quickly, there are many other things one would rather deal with than a flooded home or office.

Several areas in Kentucky have lost the use of major means of communications and electricity due to the severe winter storms the state experienced. A state of emergency was declared, allowing FEMA to step in and provide assistance to the state devastated by severe ice and snowstorms. Areas of the state have lost electricity, telephone and radio service, and water services.

61 counties are receiving federal assistance as emergency generators, prepared meals, water, and truckloads of fuel are being provided to the state of Kentucky. Find more information about Kentucky’s state of emergency on FEMA’s website.

Learn how to safely heat your home during the harsh winter months.

Read about how to prevent pipes in your home and business from freezing.