What to Do When a Winter Storm Puts You, Your Home, or Your Vehicle at Risk

Start Here: The First-Hour Snowstorm Decision Guide

Emergency: Call local emergency services now if anyone faces immediate danger, severe cold-injury symptoms, chest pain, serious breathing difficulty, a carbon-monoxide alarm, collapse, or reduced responsiveness. Do not delay an emergency call to continue reading. The National Weather Service advises contacting local emergency services for life-threatening emergencies.

Gas odor: Leave the building immediately and call emergency services from outside, as directed in winter-outage guidance from the Oregon Department of Emergency Management.

Snowstorm survival is primarily a decision problem. The safest choice is usually to stop unnecessary travel, use the best available shelter, retain body heat without creating a fire or carbon-monoxide hazard, and request help before worsening conditions isolate you.

Choose the path that matches your situation:

Where you are	What to do first
At home	Remain indoors. Monitor official weather, emergency-management, utility, and transportation updates. If electricity is available, charge phones, power banks, and applicable medical equipment. Prepare for interruptions to heat, power, water, and communications.
Driving, but still moving	Do not continue merely to keep an appointment or stay on schedule. If visibility and traction are deteriorating, reach a nearby safe, occupied building or pull completely off the traveled roadway in a safe location before visibility disappears.
Stranded in a vehicle	Generally remain with the vehicle because it provides shelter and is easier to locate than a person walking through blowing snow. Contact emergency services or roadside assistance, share your location, make the vehicle visible, conserve heat, and manage exhaust safety.
Outside without immediate shelter	Move toward the nearest safe building or vehicle. Cover exposed skin, get out of the wind, stay dry, insulate yourself from the ground, and avoid exhausting yourself or sweating heavily. Signal for help.

The stay-with-the-vehicle rule is not absolute. When communication is possible, make that decision with emergency dispatchers.

Likewise, never improvise indoor heat with equipment that was not designed and approved for that use. Cold exposure is dangerous, but replacing it with carbon-monoxide poisoning or a structure fire is not a safe trade.

This article provides general preparedness information, not situation-specific emergency instructions. Current directions from local emergency management, weather services, transportation agencies, utilities, and rescuers take priority.

Before Conditions Worsen: Read the Alerts and Prepare to Stay Put

Weather alerts tell you both what may happen and how urgently you need to act:

• Winter storm outlook: Winter weather is possible in roughly two to five days. Review your plans, inspect supplies, and begin monitoring updates.
• Winter storm watch: Hazardous winter conditions are possible within roughly 36 to 48 hours. Finish preparations and reconsider travel.
• Winter storm warning: Life-threatening severe winter conditions have begun or are expected within 24 hours.
• Blizzard warning: Sustained winds or frequent gusts of at least 35 mph, combined with falling or blowing snow that reduces visibility below one-quarter mile, are expected for at least three hours.
• Wind chill: A description of how cold exposed skin feels because of the combined effects of wind and air temperature. It is not the actual air temperature.

These definitions and time frames come from the American Red Cross winter-storm preparedness guide. Alert names, criteria, and instructions can vary by jurisdiction, so your local weather service remains the operational authority.

Do not wait for a warning to make every decision. An outlook is the time to inspect supplies and rearrange plans. A watch is the time to complete necessary errands, bring people and pets home, and decide where everyone will shelter. By the time a warning is issued, roads, visibility, businesses, and emergency services may already be deteriorating.

Postpone driving and outdoor recreation early. Trying to outrun the storm can leave you on the road after conditions become worse than expected. Canceling a trip before the snow begins is safer than deciding whether to continue after landmarks disappear and traffic stops moving.

Pre-storm priorities

1. Receive official alerts. Enable local emergency notifications and identify a battery-powered radio source in case cellular data or household internet fails.
2. Charge communications. Charge phones, power banks, rechargeable lights, and essential portable equipment while utility power remains available.
3. Secure medication and medical supplies. Fill necessary prescriptions where permitted. Ask a pharmacist how refrigerated medication should be handled during an extended outage.
4. Locate safe lighting. Put flashlights or battery lanterns where household members can find them in darkness, and check their batteries.
5. Gather warmth. Set out dry base layers, insulating clothing, coats, hats, mittens, socks, boots, blankets, and sleeping bags.
6. Prepare food and water. Select shelf-stable foods that require little or no cooking, particularly if your stove depends on electricity.
7. Identify a heated destination. Know which relative, friend, hotel, warming center, or official shelter might be reachable before travel becomes dangerous.
8. Prepare for disrupted water. Locate the main water shutoff and consider how a well pump or another electrically dependent water system will be affected.
9. Bring people and animals inside. Do this before heavy snow, ice, or poor visibility makes movement difficult.
10. Postpone nonessential travel. Cancel early rather than relying on an uncertain return window.

Households that include infants, older adults, people with disabilities, people with chronic illnesses, or anyone who depends on powered medical equipment, mobility support, or refrigerated medicine need earlier decision points. Arrange check-ins, suitable transportation, equipment-specific backup power, and an accessible heated destination before indoor conditions become dangerous.

Do not rely on a universal indoor-temperature cutoff.

If essential travel cannot be postponed, give a reliable person your route, destination, vehicle description, and expected arrival time. Agree on when that person should contact you and when they should seek help. Fill the fuel tank, check conditions across the entire route, and confirm that your winter vehicle kit is present.

Surviving at Home When Heat or Power Fails

When heat fails, reduce the amount of space you are trying to keep tolerable. Do not spread people and supplies throughout a cold building if one safe room can be used more efficiently.

Use a one-room heat-conservation plan

• Close exterior doors promptly.
• Shut doors to unused rooms.
• Close curtains and blinds.
• Block obvious drafts beneath doors with rolled towels or fabric.
• Gather household members in the warmest safe room.
• Add dry, loose clothing layers, hats, socks, blankets, or sleeping bags.
• Place insulation between people and cold floors or exterior walls.
• Keep essential lighting, communications, medication, food, and water in the occupied area.
• Check on anyone who cannot dress, reposition, or communicate independently.

Layers should be adjustable. Add insulation before you become deeply chilled, but open or remove a layer before activity makes you sweat. Replace wet clothing promptly. Moisture reduces practical insulation and can accelerate chilling.

Never create heat with the wrong appliance

Carbon-monoxide and fire warning: Never operate a generator, charcoal grill, camp stove, or similar fuel-burning device indoors. Do not use a cooking oven or stovetop to heat a room. Use flashlights or battery lanterns instead of candles.

Never operate a generator in a home, basement, attached garage, or other enclosed space. These restrictions are consistent with Safe Electricity’s winter-storm guidance.

If a carbon-monoxide alarm sounds, move everyone to fresh air and call emergency services. Do not remain inside to search for the source, and do not re-enter until responders say the building is safe. Carbon monoxide cannot be reliably detected by smell.

Dizziness, weakness, nausea, or feeling ill around a generator, vehicle, heater, or other combustion source may indicate carbon-monoxide exposure. Leave for fresh air and seek emergency help. Confusion, collapse, or reduced responsiveness should be treated as general medical emergencies regardless of the suspected cause.

Protect plumbing conservatively

Know where the main water shutoff is before a pipe breaks. Insulate exposed plumbing and, where appropriate, open cabinets beneath sinks so warmer room air can circulate around pipes.

Whether faucets should drip depends on the plumbing layout, the water supply, local temperatures, and utility instructions. Treat dripping as system-specific advice rather than a universal rule.

If a pipe appears frozen, never use a torch or another open flame to thaw it. Shut off the water if a break is suspected and contact a plumber when the pipe’s condition, location, or safe thawing method is uncertain. The FLASH winter-storm home guide recommends shutting off the water and contacting a plumber when frozen pipes are suspected.

Keep refrigerated food cold

Avoid repeatedly opening the refrigerator or freezer during an outage. A closed refrigerator may keep food safe for up to four hours, while a full, closed freezer may keep food frozen for up to 48 hours, according to Oregon emergency-management guidance.

Those figures are planning limits, not guarantees for every appliance or food. Starting temperature, freezer fullness, room conditions, appliance performance, and door openings all matter. Follow current food-safety instructions for the specific outage and discard food when its safety is uncertain.

Decide early whether to relocate

Move to a heated home or official shelter before roads become impassable if:

• The home cannot be kept safely warm.
• Essential medical equipment cannot operate.
• Medication cannot be stored as required.
• An occupant is developing signs of hypothermia or frostbite.
• A caregiver cannot safely meet another person’s needs.
• Fire, electrical, gas, structural, or carbon-monoxide hazards make the building unsafe.

Ask local emergency management about accessible transportation and shelter arrangements. Do not wait until someone is medically unstable to begin looking for a destination.

Stranded in a Vehicle: A Safer Hour-by-Hour Routine

A vehicle is an imperfect shelter, but it blocks wind, contains useful materials, and is generally easier for rescuers to locate than a person on foot.

Remain with the vehicle unless staying exposes you to a more immediate danger, such as fire, submersion, avalanche terrain, an unstable slope, or fast-moving traffic. Do not walk for help through a whiteout merely because waiting is uncomfortable. If you must leave, tell dispatchers where you intend to go and why whenever communication is possible.

First 10 minutes: report and assess

Contact emergency services when life safety is at risk. Otherwise, contact roadside assistance or the appropriate local authority. Send or report:

• Your mapped location or coordinates, if available
• Road name, nearest marker, and direction of travel
• Vehicle color, make, and model
• The number and approximate ages of occupants
• Fuel level
• Injuries, cold symptoms, and medical needs
• Whether the exhaust outlet is buried
• Nearby hazards and your last known landmark

Texting may succeed when a voice call is unreliable and can reduce active phone use. After sending essential information, lower screen brightness, close unnecessary applications, and keep the phone dry and insulated from extreme cold. Use scheduled check-ins rather than continuously using the device.

If the phone has a supported satellite or emergency-messaging feature, it may provide another option. Performance still depends on the device, service access, subscription requirements, terrain, weather, and a suitable view of the sky. Never assume the feature guarantees contact or rescue.

Make the vehicle visible

Use hazard signals when appropriate for the traffic situation. Attach bright fabric or another high-contrast marker where rescuers can see it. Use an interior light during safe engine-running intervals, and clear enough snow from a visible part of the vehicle to prevent it from blending completely into the drift.

Do not stand in a traffic lane to signal. If the vehicle is exposed to moving traffic, stay on the side away from vehicles whenever possible and follow dispatchers’ instructions.

Before every engine interval: inspect the exhaust

Before starting the engine:

1. Locate and completely clear snow from around the exhaust outlet.
2. Check for new accumulation around or beneath the vehicle.
3. Confirm that the vehicle appears mechanically safe and is not leaking fuel.
4. Slightly open a downwind window.
5. Ensure someone is awake and able to monitor conditions.

Common guidance is to run the engine and heater for about 10 minutes per hour, but only when the exhaust remains unobstructed, ventilation is maintained, fuel is available, and the vehicle is safe to operate. A blocked exhaust or inadequate ventilation can cause fatal carbon-monoxide exposure. The National Weather Service includes these conditions in its stranded-vehicle guidance.

Clear the exhaust before every interval, not only once. Continued snowfall and wind can rebuild a drift quickly.

If a carbon-monoxide alarm sounds, turn off the engine, move to fresh air if you can do so without entering a greater hazard, and call emergency services. Dizziness, weakness, nausea, or feeling ill while the engine is running also requires immediate action.

Between heating intervals: retain warmth

• Put on dry base layers and insulating clothing.
• Cover the head, hands, and feet.
• Use blankets or a sleeping bag around the group.
• Put spare clothing, floor mats, blankets, or other dry material between bodies and cold seats or surfaces.
• Huddle without restricting anyone’s breathing or circulation.
• Move fingers, toes, arms, and legs gently at intervals.
• Avoid activity intense enough to cause sweating.
• Eat and drink modestly if supplies are available and swallowing is safe.
• Recheck each person’s speech, coordination, alertness, and ability to follow simple instructions.

Do not repeatedly push the vehicle or perform prolonged digging if the effort causes heavy sweating, chest discomfort, dizziness, severe breathlessness, or unusual weakness. Digging enough to expose the exhaust or improve visibility serves a clear safety purpose; exhausting yourself in an unsuccessful attempt to free the vehicle can make the emergency worse.

Before winter travel, check both vehicle and kit

Before departure, check the fuel level, battery, tires, lights, fluids, and wipers. Confirm that the vehicle is suitable for the forecast conditions.

Carry warm clothing, insulated boots, blankets or a sleeping bag, a shovel, ice scraper, traction material, food, water, a flashlight, phone-charging equipment, reflective or bright signaling material, and basic emergency equipment appropriate to the vehicle.

Caught Outside: Shelter, Dryness, Insulation, and Signaling

If you are on foot, work through these priorities in order:

1. Reach a safe existing shelter.
2. Get out of the wind.
3. Stay dry.
4. Insulate yourself from the snow or ground.
5. Cover exposed skin.
6. Signal for help.

Do not wander in poor visibility. If you cannot navigate reliably, a protected and visible position may be safer than moving without a dependable bearing. Use an occupied building or vehicle when one is safely reachable.

If no existing shelter is available, look for a simple, stable windbreak that does not expose you to traffic, falling branches, roof ice, avalanche terrain, floodwater, or a snowdrift that could bury you.

Dress as a moisture-control system

A useful clothing system performs three functions:

• A base layer manages moisture next to the skin.
• One or more middle layers trap insulating air.
• A windproof and waterproof outer layer limits wind and precipitation.

Cover the head, neck, hands, feet, and face while keeping breathing unobstructed. Open or remove a layer before hard movement causes sweating, then replace insulation as activity slows. Change wet clothing when possible.

Use controlled, periodic movement to support circulation. Flex fingers and toes, shift position, and move major muscle groups gently. Avoid frantic digging, running, or aimless walking. Heavy sweating and exhaustion can accelerate chilling once activity stops. These clothing, movement, signaling, and exposure priorities are summarized in Global Rescue’s snowstorm guidance.

Place a pack, spare clothing, foam, dry vegetation, or another dry barrier underneath you rather than sitting or lying directly on snow or frozen ground. Preserve the driest insulating materials for direct use around the body.

Signal with a whistle, bright cloth, reflective item, flashlight, or mirror when sunlight makes a mirror useful.

Treat snow and improvised shelter cautiously

Do not eat snow directly. Your body must provide heat to melt it, which can worsen chilling. Melt snow before using it as water.

Prefer stored drinking water. If snow is the only source, follow current public-health or emergency instructions for selecting and treating water; no single improvised treatment addresses every possible contaminant.

Treat snow caves, fires, and enclosed improvised shelters as advanced, situation-dependent techniques rather than easy beginner solutions. Constructed snow shelters can collapse, may be unsafe in avalanche terrain, and require effective ventilation. Fires introduce burn, smoke, carbon-monoxide, fuel, and spreading-fire hazards. Guidance discussing snow caves emphasizes that they require prior practice and careful site selection, as noted in this winter-storm survival overview.

Prefer an existing safe shelter or a straightforward open windbreak unless you already have the relevant skills and conditions support a more complex option.

Recognize Hypothermia, Frostbite, Carbon Monoxide, and Cardiac Danger

Use a buddy system when possible and repeatedly check one another’s speech, coordination, alertness, and behavior.

Danger	Possible warning signs	Immediate action
Hypothermia	Uncontrollable shivering, confusion, memory problems, disorientation, incoherence, drowsiness, exhaustion, poor coordination, or slurred speech	Call for prompt emergency medical help. Move the person to warmth, remove wet clothing, insulate them, and warm the body’s center gradually. Handle the person gently and monitor breathing and responsiveness.
Frostbite	Pain, numbness, tingling, loss of feeling, pale or waxy skin, or other skin-color changes—often affecting fingers, toes, ears, the nose, cheeks, or chin	Move the person to warmth and seek medical care. Protect the area from pressure, rubbing, and direct high heat. Follow emergency-professional instructions rather than attempting a complete thawing protocol on your own.
Carbon-monoxide exposure	A carbon-monoxide alarm, dizziness, weakness, nausea, or feeling ill around combustion equipment	Move to fresh air immediately if it is safe to do so and call emergency services. Do not delay escape to investigate the source. Do not re-enter until responders say it is safe.
Cardiac or breathing emergency	Chest pain or pressure, severe shortness of breath, collapse, severe weakness, marked dizziness, or reduced responsiveness	Stop exertion and call emergency services. Follow dispatcher instructions. Do not have the person continue shoveling, pushing, or walking for help.

Michigan emergency-preparedness guidance lists uncontrolled shivering, memory loss, disorientation, incoherence, slurred speech, drowsiness, and exhaustion as possible hypothermia signs. It also lists loss of feeling and a pale appearance as possible frostbite signs. Its cold-injury guidance advises warmth and prompt medical help.

Do not rub frostbitten skin or place it against a stove, heating pad, radiator, fire, or another direct high-heat source. Numb tissue can be injured without the person recognizing it. Medical professionals should guide further treatment.

Treat them as signs that emergency evaluation may be necessary.

Snow shoveling, pushing a vehicle, and strenuous work in the cold can increase cardiac strain, especially for people with cardiovascular conditions. Cold, heavy loads, awkward lifting, and sudden exertion are a dangerous combination. Medically vulnerable people should arrange help and check-ins rather than attempting heavy snow removal alone. Stop immediately for chest pain, severe breathlessness, dizziness, or unusual weakness; reporting on winter-storm health precautions also emphasizes avoiding overexertion while shoveling.

Build Separate Home and Vehicle Kits—and a Communication Backup

A portable kit and a shelter-in-place reserve solve different problems.

• A portable Go-Kit should contain at least three days of supplies.
• A stay-at-home kit should contain at least two weeks of supplies, assuming the home remains safe to occupy.
• The Red Cross recommends planning for at least one gallon of drinking water per person per day.

Those planning figures come from the American Red Cross preparedness guidance. They are starting points, not guarantees that account for every climate, health condition, hygiene need, or pet. Medication quantities depend on prescriptions, regulations, insurance, storage requirements, and advice from a clinician or pharmacist.

Prioritized home kit

Water and food

• Drinking water
• Shelf-stable foods requiring little or no cooking
• Foods appropriate to household dietary needs
• Manual can opener
• Pet food and water
• Infant feeding supplies, where applicable

Health

• Necessary prescription medication, where regulations allow
• Medical supplies and a first-aid kit
• Written medication and health information
• Backup batteries or suitable power arrangements for applicable medical equipment
• Thermometer and hygiene supplies
• Masks or other condition-specific supplies normally used by the household

Build a larger medication and medical-supply reserve where prescriptions, storage conditions, and regulations permit. Ask a pharmacist about refrigerated medicine rather than assuming it remains usable—or must be discarded—after a particular period without power.

Warmth and shelter

• Blankets or sleeping bags
• Dry base layers and socks
• Insulating middle layers
• Hats, mittens, coats, and boots
• Draft-blocking materials
• Supplies for anyone who cannot regulate body temperature or dress independently

Light, power, and information

• Flashlights or battery lanterns
• Spare batteries
• Battery-powered radio
• Charged power banks and compatible cables
• Printed emergency contacts
• Smoke and carbon-monoxide alarms with suitable backup power

Practical supplies

• Basic tools
• First-aid supplies
• An appropriate fire extinguisher
• Sanitation supplies
• Pet carriers, leashes, identification, and medication
• Copies of essential documents

Vehicle kit

• Blanket or sleeping bag
• Dry winter base layers and socks
• Coat, hat, and mittens
• Insulated boots
• Shovel and ice scraper
• Traction material
• Flashlight and spare batteries
• Reflective vest, bright cloth, or another visible signal
• Whistle
• Shelf-stable food and water
• Phone cable, vehicle charger, and power bank
• Jumper cables or suitable jump-start equipment
• First-aid kit
• Basic tools and emergency equipment appropriate to the vehicle
• Printed contact and route information

Inspect the kit seasonally.

Build communications in layers

No single communication method works in every storm. Build several layers:

1. Official emergency and weather alerts
2. A battery-powered radio
3. A charged mobile phone
4. Power banks and vehicle charging
5. Text messages when calls are unreliable
6. Route sharing and a written arrival time
7. Scheduled check-ins
8. Visual signals such as lights or bright fabric
9. Audible signals such as a whistle

Mobile and satellite features depend on device support, network availability, service or subscription access, terrain, weather, and a suitable view of the sky. Treat them as additional options, not guaranteed rescue connections.

Vulnerable-household planning box

Make a written plan for infants, older adults, people with disabilities or chronic illness, powered medical equipment, mobility or communication needs, pets, and service animals. Identify who will check in, who can transport each person or animal, which destination is accessible and heated, how medication will travel, and what equipment must remain powered. Confirm the arrangements before the storm.

After the Snow Stops: Avoid the Secondary Hazards

Snow ending does not mean the emergency has ended. Roads may remain blocked, ice may continue accumulating, roof ice and weakened branches may fall, and power infrastructure may be hidden beneath snow.

Wait until local officials and transportation agencies say conditions are suitable before resuming nonessential travel. A clear driveway does not mean the connecting road, bridge, or destination is safe.

Treat downed lines as energized

Stay away from every downed or hanging power line and anything it touches, including trees, fences, vehicles, or standing water. A line can remain energized even when it does not move, arc, or spark. Snow may conceal wires entirely.

Warn other people away and report the hazard to the utility. Safe Electricity explains that downed lines need not appear active to remain live and deadly.

Also watch for:

• Icy steps, driveways, and sidewalks
• Snow-covered holes, curbs, wires, and debris
• Falling branches
• Snow or ice sliding from roofs
• Damaged chimneys and vents
• Blocked furnace or appliance exhaust outlets
• Vehicles with limited visibility or braking ability

Inspect the home and roof only from a safe location. Cracked or leaking ceilings can indicate damage, but do not climb onto a snowy, icy, or structurally questionable roof. Keep people away from the area beneath suspected damage and seek qualified help.

Remove snow cautiously

Take small loads, push rather than lift when practical, and rest frequently. Stop for chest pain, severe breathlessness, dizziness, confusion, nausea, or unusual weakness. Ask for help if cardiovascular disease, significant mobility limitations, or another condition makes exertion hazardous.

Never place your hands into a clogged snowblower. Shut the machine off completely before attempting to clear snow or debris, and follow the manufacturer’s procedure. Episcopal Health Services specifically advises users to turn a snowblower off completely before clearing a clog.

If a pipe is frozen or has burst, shut off the water when a break is suspected. Do not use an open flame to thaw plumbing. Contact a plumber if the pipe’s condition, location, or safe thawing method is uncertain.

Finally, check on older adults, medically vulnerable neighbors, and anyone who may still lack heat, power, medication, transportation, or help clearing an exit. Do not enter a building affected by electrical damage, a gas odor, structural instability, or suspected carbon monoxide. Contact responders instead.

Snowstorm Survival FAQ

Should I stay in my car if I am stranded in a snowstorm?

Usually, yes. The vehicle provides wind protection and is easier for rescuers to locate than someone walking through blowing snow. Contact help, share your location, make the vehicle visible, add dry insulation, and conserve phone battery. General stranded-vehicle guidance likewise recommends using the vehicle as shelter.

Do not remain inside if the vehicle faces an immediate threat such as fire, submersion, avalanche exposure, unstable terrain, or dangerous traffic. Coordinate with rescuers when possible. Do not walk for help in a whiteout simply because the wait is uncomfortable.

How can I run my vehicle for heat without being poisoned by carbon monoxide?

Before every engine interval, clear the exhaust outlet completely and check whether drifting snow has blocked it again. Slightly open a downwind window. Run the engine only if the vehicle is mechanically safe, fuel is available, and an occupant can monitor conditions.

Common winter guidance suggests running the engine and heater for about 10 minutes per hour under those conditions. This does not make idling risk-free; the exhaust must remain clear and ventilation must be maintained, as explained in this stranded-vehicle winter guidance.

Turn the engine off and seek fresh air and emergency help if a carbon-monoxide alarm sounds or anyone becomes dizzy, weak, nauseated, or ill.

What heating devices should never be used indoors during a winter power outage?

Never use a generator, charcoal grill, camp stove, or another outdoor combustion appliance indoors. Do not use a gas or electric cooking oven or stovetop as a room heater. Avoid improvised flames, and use flashlights or battery lanterns instead of candles. Winter-outage guidance also warns against indoor open-flame heat sources and unsafe generator placement.

Generators must remain outdoors, away from doors, windows, vents, and other openings. Operate them according to the manufacturer’s instructions and local requirements. Use any heating appliance only in the location and manner approved by its manufacturer.

What are the warning signs of hypothermia and frostbite?

Possible hypothermia signs include uncontrollable shivering, confusion, memory problems, disorientation, incoherence, drowsiness, exhaustion, poor coordination, and slurred speech. Move the person to warmth, remove wet clothing, insulate them, warm the body’s center gradually, and obtain prompt emergency medical help.

Possible frostbite signs include pain, tingling, numbness, loss of feeling, pale or waxy skin, and skin-color changes, especially on the fingers, toes, ears, nose, cheeks, or chin. Move the person to warmth, protect the area, avoid rubbing or direct high heat, and seek medical care. These signs and basic actions are consistent with Michigan’s winter power-outage guidance.

Can I eat or melt snow for drinking water?

Do not eat snow directly. Your body must supply heat to melt it, which can worsen chilling. Melt it first.

Melted snow is not automatically safe to drink. It may contain dirt, microorganisms, fuel residue, road chemicals, or other contaminants. Prefer stored drinking water and follow current public-health instructions for the available water source. Guidance on outdoor snowstorm survival likewise advises melting snow before drinking it.

The essential hierarchy is straightforward: choose shelter before travel, stay dry and conserve heat, and never trade cold exposure for carbon-monoxide or fire risk. Remain visible and usually stay with a stranded vehicle, act quickly on medical warning signs, and continue following current local emergency, transportation, and utility instructions until the hazards have passed.