Winter Weather
A winter weather phenomenon (such as snow, sleet, ice, wind chill) that impacts public safety, transportation, and/or commerce.
Snow
atmospheric water vapor frozen into ice crystals and falling in light white flakes or lying on the ground as a white layer. A blanket of snow makes for picturesque scenery, but what is beautiful, can also be dangerous. During the winter months snow can have several potentially dangerous aspects such as snow on roadways and landing strips, power outages, whiteouts, snow blindness, and roof collapse. Snow on roadways may be a blessing for some as it closes work or school, but it also makes the travel of emergency service vehicles much more difficult. This can become even worse when you move away from city hubs to more rural areas as most West Virgnians have due to the lack of snow plows and salt to clear the roads. To avoid a vehicular accident it is recommended to stay home on days that too much snow has fallen. Though snow may look fluffy, it does carry considerable weight, and too much snow can bring down power lines and cause roofs to collapse. If one or both of these unfortunate accidents happen, it may make staying warm in the chilly winter months incredibly difficult. Make sure to have plenty of blankets and warm clothes on hand, or invest in a kerosine or propane heater. Just make sure you use them for limited periods of time if you use them indoors due to the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning which can be fatal. Whiteouts are another concern, this is when there is too much snowfall happening that it limits the distance you can see. This along with snow blindness, a temporary visual impairment brought on by the snow’s reflection of UV light, can cause vehicular operation impairment. If either of these affect you while driving, pullover and wait for the effects to subside.
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Freezing Rain
Rain that freezes on impact with the ground or solid objects. Freezing rain and ice are two of the most common causes for vehicle accidents during the winter months. When the roads turn icey, no amount of tread will allow your vehicle to keep traction with the road. If freezing rain has recently occurred and the salt trucks have not treated your road, it is best to stay home and wait for the ice to melt. If you are driving and freezing rain begins to fall, you should reduce your speed or pull over if you are far from your destination. The roads can ice over incredibly quickly during freezing rain events, so be mindful. Freezing rain can also cause utility lines and trees to topple. This is due to the ice sticking to the tree or utility lines instead of running down to the ground as rain normally does. This added weight can easily bring trees and utility lines down, leaving some without power. If you do lose power due to freezing rain, make sure to have plenty of blankets and warm clothes on hand, or invest in a kerosine or propane heater. Just make sure you use them for limited periods of time if you use them indoors due to the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning which can be fatal.
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