Staying safe during a blizzard comes down to staying indoors, staying warm, and being prepared before the storm hits. A blizzard brings sustained winds of 35 mph or higher with visibility dropping below a quarter mile for three hours or more, creating dangerous conditions both outside and inside your home if you lose power. Here’s how to protect yourself and your household before, during, and after the storm.
Build Your Emergency Kit Before the Storm
The time to prepare is before the blizzard warning goes into effect. Stock at least one gallon of water per person per day for several days, along with a supply of non-perishable food and a manual can opener. Beyond the basics, your kit should include a battery-powered or hand-crank radio (ideally a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert), a flashlight, extra batteries, a first aid kit, and a cell phone charger with a backup battery.
A few items are easy to overlook but matter in a winter emergency: a whistle to signal for help if you’re trapped, a wrench or pliers to shut off utilities, and garbage bags with plastic ties for sanitation if water service is disrupted. If anyone in your household takes prescription medication, keep at least a week’s supply on hand. Fill your car’s gas tank before the storm arrives, and have extra blankets, warm clothing, and sleeping bags accessible even if you plan to stay home the entire time.
Staying Safe Indoors
Your home is your best shelter during a blizzard, but power outages create their own risks. The most dangerous is carbon monoxide poisoning from generators, gas stoves, or charcoal grills used for heat. Never run a generator indoors. Place portable generators at least 20 feet from your house, away from all doors, windows, and vents. The same rule applies to any gas-powered equipment. Carbon monoxide is odorless and can build to lethal levels in minutes inside an enclosed space.
If you lose heat, close off unused rooms and stuff towels under doors to concentrate warmth. Wear layers and use blankets rather than relying on alternative heating sources that carry fire or poisoning risks. A candle in a small room produces some heat, but unattended candles are a leading cause of house fires during winter storms.
Preventing Frozen Pipes
Burst pipes cause thousands of dollars in damage and can leave you without water when you need it most. When temperatures plunge, let cold water drip from faucets connected to exposed pipes. Even a trickle of moving water helps prevent freezing. Keep your thermostat at the same temperature day and night rather than lowering it overnight. The slightly higher heating bill is far cheaper than repairing burst pipes and water damage. If you need to leave your home during cold weather, set the heat no lower than 55°F.
Why You Should Avoid Going Outside
Blizzard conditions can turn fatal within minutes. When wind chill values drop near minus 25°F, frostbite can develop on exposed skin in as little as 15 minutes. The early signs are easy to miss: you lose feeling in the affected area, and the skin turns white or pale. By the time you notice, tissue damage may already be underway.
Hypothermia is the deeper threat. Your body enters mild hypothermia when core temperature drops to 90 to 95°F. At that stage you’re still conscious and shivering, but your mental function is already impaired, and you may not be able to care for yourself or make good decisions. If your core temperature falls to the 82 to 90°F range, you may lose consciousness and stop shivering entirely, which is the body’s last defense against cold. Below 82°F, hypothermia becomes life-threatening. The progression can happen faster than most people expect, especially with wet clothing or wind exposure.
Snow Shoveling and Heart Risk
Snow shoveling is one of the most physically dangerous activities during and after a blizzard, and most people underestimate why. Shoveling is primarily arm work, which is more taxing on the heart than leg work. It involves heavy static exertion, where your muscles strain without moving through a full range of motion. People tend to hold their breath while lifting heavy loads of snow, which spikes both heart rate and blood pressure. Standing relatively still while shoveling also causes blood to pool in your legs, reducing the flow of oxygenated blood back to the heart.
On top of all that, cold air constricts blood vessels throughout the body, raising blood pressure further and narrowing the coronary arteries. This combination creates a perfect setup for a cardiac event, particularly in people who are sedentary, middle-aged or older, or have existing heart conditions. If you feel chest pain or pressure, lightheadedness, heart palpitations, irregular heartbeat, pain in your jaw, neck, back, arms or shoulders, nausea, or shortness of breath, stop immediately. Take frequent breaks, push snow rather than lifting it when possible, and avoid shoveling after eating a heavy meal.
If You Get Stranded in Your Car
If a blizzard catches you on the road, stay in your vehicle. Your car provides shelter from wind and makes you easier for rescuers to find. Pull off the road if you can, turn on your hazard lights, and tie a bright cloth to your antenna or door handle.
You can run the engine periodically for heat, but carbon monoxide is a serious risk in this situation. Before turning the car on, check that the exhaust pipe is completely clear of snow. Run the engine only long enough to warm up, then turn it off. Keep a window cracked slightly to allow fresh air in, and never run the car for extended periods with the windows up. Move your arms and legs regularly to maintain circulation, and avoid falling asleep with the engine running.
Keep a winter emergency kit in your car through the cold months: blankets, extra warm clothing, a flashlight, water, snacks, a phone charger, and a small shovel. If you’re stuck for a long stretch, staying visible and staying in the car gives you the best chance of being found safely.
After the Storm Passes
The danger doesn’t end when the snow stops falling. Downed power lines may be hidden under snow and remain energized. Roofs can collapse under heavy snow loads, especially flat or low-pitch roofs on older structures. If your home lost heat for an extended period, check pipes carefully before turning water back on fully, as frozen sections may have cracked.
Limit time outdoors even after winds die down. Post-blizzard temperatures often remain dangerously cold, and deep snow drifts can obscure hazards like curbs, ditches, and debris. Pace yourself during cleanup, especially with shoveling. More cardiac events happen in the days following a blizzard than during the storm itself, largely because people push too hard to dig out all at once.