Disaster Recovery News

The winter weather has not made any exceptions this year. States west to east have had massive amounts of snow dumped upon them as if a giant snow cone machine was shaving ice in the clouds above.

“The Weather Guys” with USA Today have stated the following for today for your area of the country and your neighbors:

“Northwest nightmare — A powerful winter storm is hammering the Northwest today. Gusty winds and heavy snow and rain are affecting Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana. Blizzard warnings have been issued for the Cascade and Olympic mountains today. Rain will spread south across California by later today.
Dangerous cold in the center — Intense cold and howling winds are the main weather story in the central USA today. Dangerously cold wind chills values will bottom out well below zero across most of the Plains and Midwest. The winds will bring some lake-effect snow in the lee of the Great Lakes.
More nastiness in the Northeast — Yet another in a series of winter storms is bringing snow and ice to the Northeast today. The heaviest snow should be in northern New York State and northern New England. Strong, bitterly cold winds will be the main story later today and tonight in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic areas.”

The Climate Prediction Center expects the month of January 2009 to be warmer than usual for states east of the Rocky Mountains.
Learn how to keep yourself safe at home or work amid all the wintry weather and the upcoming holidays. The winter months tend to bring a lot of moisture to our homes and businesses that often lead to mold growth; learn more about mold prevention.

Officials in Baltimore County, Maryland have declared they are ready for winter weather–no matter what it brings.

Currently, the county has 300 trucks and 14 storage facilities full of salt (50,000 tons of  it). On top of this, 100 private contractors are on retainer and 400 people are ready to move if the winter weather hits hard.

What is more amazing than the fact that the storage units are 2,000 tons of salt under capacity is that the county conducted a winter weather drill on December 2. The Towson Times reports that county police, fire officials, the school districts, and the departments of public works (health, aging and social services) came together to practice what they would do in the event of severe winter weather. This was called a “winter-weather preparedness drill” and it will help all involved be better prepared, more coordinated, and work more effectively towards providing relief and safety in the county.

Read the full story here.

Is this drill something your county does? Do you have a preparedness drill for your home or business? Would you know what to do if your business or home was a victim of winter weather disaster?

Find out how to make a recovery plan for your business and how to make your own emergency disaster kits. Learn about winter storm protection and how to prevent mold during the winter months.

The National Weather Service in Illinois has issued an alert stating that residents and travelers should expect to see a lot of snow fall tonight and tomorrow, December 3, 2008. The state could get as much as five-inches of snow. Travelers on the road are cautioned as there may be substantial travel-related difficulties as the streets are expected to be covered with snow and visibility will be limited. Areas north of I-88 are expected to have the heaviest impact.

This following “urgent” statement was issued by the National Weather Service for the counties of Boone, Bureau, Carroll, Cook, De Kalb, DuPage, Henderson, Henry , Jo Daviess, Kane, Lake Lee, McHenry, Mercer, Ogle, Putnam, Rock Island, Stephenson, Warren, Whiteside, and Winnebago:

“ACCUMULATING SNOW LATE TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY…AN ARCTIC FRONT WILL BE SWEEPING ACROSS THE REGION LATE TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY. INCREASING MOISTURE FROM THE SOUTH WILL GENERATE A BAND OF LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOW IN THE COLDER AIR BEHIND THE FRONT. A GENERAL 3 TO 5 INCHES OF SNOW IS EXPECTED…WITH ISOLATED HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE. THE SNOW SHOULD BEGIN NORTHWEST OF A VINTON TO DUBUQUE LINE LATE TONIGHT…SPREADING OVER ALL OF THE REGION WEDNESDAY MORNING AND CONTINUING INTO THE AFTERNOON. SOME BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW CAN BE EXPECTED LATER WEDNESDAY AS THE SNOW BEGINS TO DIMINISH.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN QUAD CITIES HAS ISSUED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM TO 6 PM CST WEDNESDAY. LIGHT SNOW SHOULD BEGIN TOWARDS DAYBREAK WEDNESDAY AND BECOME HEAVIER WEDNESDAY MORNING AND DIMINISH LATE IN THE AFTERNOON. ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 5 INCHES ARE EXPECTED…WITH ISOLATED HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE. NORTHWEST WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 15 TO 30 MPH
AS THE SNOW DIMINISHES. THIS SHOULD CREATE SOME BLOWING AND DRIFTING OF THE SNOW.

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SLICK…SNOW COVERED ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES…AND BE CAREFUL WHILE DRIVING.”

If one is planning on being out and they live in the above mentioned counties, it may be time to reconsider your Wednesday schedule and settle in with a cup of hot chocolate at home.

Find out how to prepare for a winter storm. Also learn about what one needs to do to prepare an emergency kit for one’s vehicle.