This week is Winter Weather Preparedness Week in Indiana. This is the time to refresh all your winter knowledge. Each day Nexstar’s Beth Finello will touch on a different topic to prepare you for the upcoming winter season.
Look out for these winter threats
There are four precipitation types: rain, freezing rain, sleet and snow. In a column of air, if the column is all above freezing, then it will rain. If the column has a shallow layer of below-freezing air near the surface, freezing rain will occur. If there is a layer of below-freezing air above a layer of above-freezing air, then it will sleet. If the entire column of air is below freezing, then it will snow.
Extreme cold and wind chill also pose a threat during the winter season. Extreme cold conditions can also cause several health and safety concerns including frostbite and hypothermia. It is important to know the signs of each in order to act quickly.
How to prepare for the cold
- Have plenty of layers for the winter season: gloves, hats, scarves, thick socks, heavy coats
- Clean your heaters, and fireplaces, and check your carbon monoxide detectors now
The rest of this week Nexstar’s Beth Finello will touch on travel safety, school safety, and outdoor safety.