Preparing for Winter Weather: Driving, Home, and Pet Safety Tips

Winter Driving Safety

• 🚗 Reduce your speed by about a third of the speed limit when driving on slick roads.
• ⚠️ If your car starts to skid, let off the accelerator and steer in the direction of the skid; do not slam on brakes or spin the steering wheel.
• ↔️ Double your normal following distance to four car lengths to maintain a safe gap between vehicles.
• 🚨 Driving too fast in unsafe conditions can result in a ticket, and in case of an accident, first responders may take an hour or two to arrive.
• ⚠️ Bridges and ramps freeze first, so be especially cautious on these areas and watch out for black ice.
• 🧼 Clear off your lights, windows, and mirrors before driving and allow plenty of extra time for your commute.

Home and Property Preparedness

• 💧 The four Ps to remember are pipes, plants, pets, people, and plants.
• 🔧 Cover outdoor plants and pipes, and open cabinet doors for indoor pipes to allow heat circulation.
• 🚰 Remove outdoor garden hoses and cover hose bibs; know the location of your water shut-off valve.
• 🔑 Consider owning a Jones Stevens key to access and shut off your water meter main if pipes freeze and burst.
• 🏊 For pools, turn on the freeze guard system and let pool pumps run to prevent water from freezing.
• 🏠 For potted plants, bring them into a garage or covered patio as their roots are more exposed to cold.
• 💧 Watering plants before a freeze can help keep them warmer.

Pet and Vehicle Safety

• 🐈 Honk your vehicle's horn before starting it, as pets may hide in the warm engine.
• 🐾 Check your pet's paws after walks and consider sweaters or coats for dogs and cats.
• 🧪 Keep antifreeze locked up as winter chemicals are poisonous to pets, and wash paws after walks to remove irritants.
• 🌡️ Be alert for signs of hypothermia in pets.
• 🔋 Ensure your vehicle's battery is fresh and terminals are clean, and the radiator fluid and windshield washer fluid are topped off.
• ❄️ Use a windshield washer fluid that won't freeze to avoid damage to the tank and pump.
• 💨 Check that your tires are at their proper pressure, as pressure changes in cold weather can affect traction.

Understanding Winter Precipitation

• 🌧️ Freezing rain occurs when normal rain falls as liquid and freezes on contact with surfaces below freezing.
• 🧊 Sleet or ice pellets form from snow melting and refreezing while falling in the lower atmosphere, dependent on the vertical temperature profile.
• ❄️ Snow consists of frozen six-sided crystals that form in clouds and reach the ground without melting, indicating a consistently cold vertical temperature profile.

Power Grid and Vegetation

• ⚡ Texas has made changes to its power grid since 2021, including additional fuel sources, scheduled maintenance, and weatherized generators.
• 🌱 For vegetation, apply one to two inches of mulch around the base of plants, especially native ones.
• 🧣 For more exotic or tropical plants, wrap shrubs and consider adding incandescent Christmas lights for warmth.
• 🌳 Protecting plants can make a significant difference by springtime.