Here’s how to stay safe and warm in the snow, according to New Englanders: NPR

Much of the southern United States is bracing for significant snowfall and cold temperatures this week. Weather alerts and clocks extending across the region, including northern Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi and Georgia, where several inches of snow could fall. The second major winter storm of 2025 is expected to bring snow and freezing rain to places that don’t often deal with winter weather.

This latest winter blast comes after a storm blew through much of the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic earlier this week, dropping in some places more snow than the residents had seen in year. While some celebrated the storms also disrupted travel, causing power outages and causing major dangers for those in its path.

Winter storms are dangerous. And preparing for them can be daunting, especially for communities that aren’t used to it.

Brandon Thorne, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Shreveport, La., said his office is expecting several inches of snow for parts of Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. This is the kind of winter storm that can come once a year, Thorne said. But people are often not prepared, and many communities don’t have equipment like snowplows to clear roads.

“Things shut down for several days if there’s any kind of ice on the road,” he said. “It becomes more of a danger because we’re just not built for that kind of thing.”

But further north, for places like New Hampshire, where it snows dozens of inches each year, dealing with showers and slippery pavements is a way of life.

“It’s just common sense for us up here,” said Shane Beattie, emergency manager for the city of Lancaster, NH. A fond childhood memory was a historic snowstorm in 1978 that dropped more than a foot of snow and closed the school.

But to enjoy the snow, you need to be safe. We asked people in New Hampshire for advice on how to prepare for winter storms, starting with staying warm.

Keeps warm

“It’s all about layers,” Beattie said.

His favorite is a pair of woolen socks. Hats and mittens are also important, he said. Proper footwear, such as boots with good soles, is also important to be safe when going outside in snowy and icy conditions. For those who want more stability, spikes or treads that attach to the bottom of shoes can be a good option.

Wearing several layers of loose clothing will keep you warmer than wearing one heavy coat. And holding a scarf over your mouth can help protect your lungs from cold air.

Mike Carmon has spent more than a decade dealing with extreme winter weather while working at the Mount Washington Observatory atop Mount Washington, which claims to have the world’s worst weather. Carmon and his team are responsible for recording information about that weather, and that means experiencing it themselves.

It is common for the temperature at the observatory to be in the single digits for most of the winter, and hurricane force winds are expected every other day. The top of the mountain receives about 280 inches of snow, hail, and ice each year.

When Carmon takes a trip outside to look at weather gear, he said his layering system involves three parts: a base layer close to your skin, an insulating fleece layer and a waterproof outer layer that can protect against snow, rain and wind.

“It kind of gives you all the protection you need against all the different hazards you find in the cold and snow,” he said. “If you get too hot, you can take one off.”

Carmon is also careful to ensure that he has no bare skin showing to protect against wind and freezing temperatures. Sometimes weather observers will check each other to make sure they are fully covered before going outside.

“If you’re out there in the elements for even 10 or 15 minutes, it can lead to some frostbite or frostbite,” he said.

Learn how to spot and treat frostbite and hypothermia with this guide from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Stay safe at home

You’re safest at home during a storm, said Vanessa Palange, community outreach coordinator for New Hampshire’s Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.

Palange has been through its fair share of winter storms in New Hampshire and Maine. She was once stuck without power for two weeks after an ice storm in 1998. She had heat from a wood stove, but no way to cook or shower.

“You learn what you can live through,” she said. “Because I’ve been through it, I feel like I definitely have ways to be able to navigate it.”

Palange said she went to other people’s homes to use their showers and relied on water from a backyard pond to flush toilets.

To prepare for potentially losing power, it’s a good idea to have flashlights and extra batteries on hand. It’s safer than using candles, which can start fires, Palange said.

Stock up on extra blankets, warm clothes, water and food — especially things that are non-perishable and don’t require heating. If you get cans, make sure you have a manual can opener. It’s good to have enough food on hand for about three days, Palange said.

It is also worth having a shovel with you. Paving salt is a staple in many New England homes, and having some is pet friendly can help keep your dog’s paws happy.

If you’re losing heat at home, see if there are any warming centers open in your community. Calling 2-1-1 is free and can connect you to services in most of the country. Also check your neighbors and friends.

“If you’re without power and it’s cold, you can close off spaces in your house that you’re not using by hanging blankets,” Palange said.

Heating equipment is one of the leading causes of fire deaths in homes, according to the National Fire Protection Association, and space heaters are especially dangerous. It is not sure to use an oven as a heat source.

If you use a generator, make sure to do so only run it outdoors and away from doors, windows and ventilation openings. It helps protect against carbon monoxide poisoning.

For those unable to find a safe place to stay inside, the National Health Council for the Homeless has tips on how to stay safe if you have to be outdoors in severe weather.

Avoid driving in a winter storm if you can

“If you’re not used to driving in snow, don’t,” said James Langdon, who manages roads and snow plowing for Jackson, N.H. “If you get stranded, you become a hazard on the road.”

It doesn’t take much snow to make a road slippery, he said, and ice can be even more dangerous. Drivers in states that get a lot of snow often have winter tires or snow chains, which add extra traction. Without them, driving can be particularly dangerous.

If you must drive, stay on main roads and try to travel when it’s daylight. Remember that the roads will be slippery. It will take longer to slow down and stop. So it is good to leave extra space between you and other vehicles.

“Take it easy and take it easy,” Langdon said. “You’re not going to beat Mother Nature.”

If there’s a snow flurry — a period of blowing snow that makes it hard to see — officials say it’s best to pull over and wait for it to pass.

If you’re stranded in your car during a snowstorm, turn on your hazard lights. New Hampshire officials advise put an emergency flag in your window or on your antenna and stay put unless you can see a building where you know you can take shelter. To protect against carbon monoxide poisoning, clear snow from your tailpipe and run the engine just enough to keep the car warm, or about 10 minutes every hour.

It is good to have an emergency kit in the car. To could include a small snow shovel, jumper cables, a flashlight, blankets and extra clothes, mobile phone chargers, water, food, a tow rope, a spare tire and a first aid kit. Also fill up your gas tank.

A bag of sand or cat litter is also helpful because it can weigh the vehicle down, making it easier to drive in the snow. Plus, if you get stuck, you can sprinkle it on the ground to help with traction.

Several states, including New Hampshire, have laws requiring drivers to clear snow from their cars before hitting the road. A long ice scraper designed for clearing cars is wonderful – but a clean broom to brush off loose debris and an old gift card to scrape off ice work in a pinch.

Pro tip: warm up the car while clearing snow and the ice will melt before you have to scrape.

If it’s safe, have fun

It’s a good idea to have some form of entertainment ready if you’re stuck indoors. Cards, books or board games can help keep kids (and adults!) from getting cabin fever.

Beattie, director of emergency management from Lancaster, NH, said his favorite thing to do on a snowy day is go sledding. If you don’t have a sled, a piece of cardboard works well.

But, he said, there are also slower ways to appreciate the winter weather.

“Even just go for a walk in the snow. It’s quiet, you know. The snow drowns out the sound of hustle and bustle,” he said.