Since Muncie falls within the Midwest, and hence the Midlatitudes, and the fact that is receives the tail end of Lake effect snow from the great lakes, we can experience a range of different types of severe weather. From extreme thunderstorms and tornadoes to rock hard hail, or even hazardous winter weather conditions on the road and in the sky. Living or working in an area that is subject to these conditions makes it all the more important to have an understanding of ways to be prepared for various forms of extreme weather.
For any extreme weather phenomena there are several different hazards that accompany these events. In the event of severe winter weather, we may see unnavigable roads. Simply just staying off the roads is the best way to remain safe, but cities often times have specialized crews that are sent out to salt the roads to help relive drivers of the dangers found on snow riddled roads. However, before salting the roads, these crews will plow the roads to get rid of as much snow as possible, that way they will not only need to use less salt, but the salt they do use will be more effective.
Other issues that come along with winter weather would be loss of power and danger to utilities. A lot of the time the hazardous conditions are though to be only a result of severe snow storms, but the temperatures alone can be catastrophic. Around 20 degrees Fahrenheit is where the real danger of freezing pipes come around, says America Family Insurance (2022). A good way to help prevent this would be to first be aware of your local weather and what the expectations are pertaining to the temperature. Also, leaving faucets and water appliances slightly running, while it may kick up your water bill, could be the deciding factor in keeping your pipes in-tact and functional.
Loosing power is also another big problem especially when a lot of houses are heated through the use of electricity. If possible, having an in-house spare generator could be life saving, and making sure your secondary options are still in functional order (wood stove, fireplace, etc.).
Thanks for tuning in! If you want to learn more about winter weather preparedness visit the link below!
