Picture the snow piling up and the roads closed, then the power flickering and going out. Ready.gov describes winter storms as events that can last a few hours or several days and cut off heat, power, and communication services. Sometimes recovery takes longer still, especially in rural areas or after widespread ice damage.
Winter preparedness has one extra challenge: cold. Here's how to plan so your family stays warm, fed, and safe at home.
Before the Storm: Prepare Your Home
Ready.gov's winter checklist starts with the house itself:
- Keep the cold out with insulation, caulking, and weather stripping.
- Learn how to keep pipes from freezing.
- Install and test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors with battery backups.
- Gather supplies in case you need to stay home for several days without power, keeping in mind each person's needs, including medication and pets.
- Have extra batteries for radios and flashlights.
If heating costs are a challenge, Ready.gov points to the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) for help with heating and weatherization.
Know the Alerts
Ready.gov explains the National Weather Service terms:
- Winter Storm Watch: a storm is possible, usually issued 12 to 48 hours ahead. This is your cue to top off supplies.
- Winter Storm Warning: hazardous winter weather is imminent or occurring, usually issued 12 to 24 hours ahead. Stay put and shelter.
- Winter Weather Advisory: conditions that could become dangerous if you're not careful.
A Watch is the perfect reminder to run through the checklist below while roads are still clear.
Staying Warm Safely
This is the most important section of any winter plan. Ready.gov and the CDC are clear:
- Never heat your home with a gas stove or oven. It raises the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning and fire.
- Use generators and grills only outdoors and away from windows. The CDC says to keep generators more than 20 feet from windows, doors, and vents, and never use a portable gas camp stove indoors.
- Never burn charcoal indoors.
Safe ways to stay warm:
- Pick one room to gather in. Close off unused rooms and cover windows with blankets.
- Layer up with warm clothing, hats, and dry socks.
- Use sleeping bags and blankets. Ready.gov's kit list includes one for each person.
- Go to a community warming location if your home gets too cold. Check with local officials for locations.
Battery power can help. A solar generator doesn't burn fuel, so it produces no exhaust. Depending on its output and capacity, it can run devices like an electric blanket, lights, and phone chargers. Check each device's wattage against the power station's output, and follow the manufacturer's instructions.
ReadyPantry picks: the Jackery Solar Generator 1500 Ultra (1,536 Wh, 1,800 W continuous output) for essentials, or the HomePower 3000 (3,072 Wh, 3,600 W output), which Jackery lists as retaining about 95% charge after 12 months in storage, so it's ready when the storm hits. See Backup Power 101 for sizing help.
Solar recharging still works in winter, though shorter days and snow cover reduce output. Clear snow off panels and plan conservatively.
Know the Warning Signs of Cold Injury
From Ready.gov's winter guidance:
Frostbite causes loss of feeling and color around the face, fingers, and toes. Signs include numbness, white or grayish-yellow skin, or firm, waxy skin. Go to a warm room and warm the area with warm water or body heat. Don't massage it or use a heating pad.
Hypothermia is an unusually low body temperature; below 95°F is an emergency. Watch for shivering, exhaustion, confusion, fumbling hands, memory loss, slurred speech, or drowsiness. Get to a warm room, warm the center of the body first, and keep the person dry and wrapped in blankets. Seek medical help.
Water: Protect It From Freezing
Winter adds a twist to water storage. Pipes can freeze, and so can stored water.
- Store water somewhere that stays above freezing. Water expands as it freezes and can split containers, including cans.
- Keep water inside your living space during a storm, not in an unheated garage or shed.
- Know where your main water shutoff is in case a pipe bursts.
ReadyPantry pick: Ready Pantry 12 oz Emergency Water. Canned water with a 50-year shelf life, sold by the case, or in 25-case (1/4 pallet), 50-case (1/2 pallet), and 100-case (full pallet) packs. Quarter, half, and full pallets ship by freight. Store it in a cool, dry spot indoors that stays above freezing.
If your water service is interrupted, stored water carries you through, and the Sentry Portable System can filter additional water once supply returns.
Food: Warm Meals Matter in the Cold
Hot food and drinks lift spirits and help everyone feel warmer. Plan for meals that need only hot water.
ReadyPantry picks: the Ready Pantry One Week Food Supply and One Month Supply, with comforting options like creamy potato soup, chicken noodle soup, and maple brown sugar oatmeal, stored for up to 25 years. Best-by dates vary, so check your package.
For heating water without power:
- A power station can run a small electric kettle if it has enough output for the kettle's wattage.
- An outdoor camp stove, like the BOXIO Cook Premium Camp Stove, works in a sheltered spot outdoors. Never bring it inside.
During an outage, Ready.gov says an unopened fridge keeps food cold for about four hours, and a full freezer about 48 hours.
Your Car Kit
Ready.gov recommends a winter car kit with jumper cables, sand, a flashlight, warm clothes, blankets, bottled water, and non-perishable snacks, and keeping a full tank of gas. If you're trapped in your car, stay inside.
ReadyPantry picks: a Ready Pantry 3 Day Food Supply and a First Aid Pro kit fit easily in a trunk.
Avoid Overexertion
Ready.gov warns that shoveling snow can cause heart attacks from overexertion. Take breaks, work slowly, and ask for help.
Your Winter Storm Checklist
- ☐ Home sealed against drafts; pipes protected
- ☐ Smoke and CO detectors with battery backup
- ☐ Blankets or sleeping bags for everyone
- ☐ Water stored above freezing
- ☐ Food that needs only hot water
- ☐ A safe way to heat water (power station or outdoor stove)
- ☐ Solar generator for lights, phones, and essentials
- ☐ Flashlights, radio, and extra batteries
- ☐ First aid kit and medications
- ☐ Winter car kit and a full tank
Be Ready Before the Forecast
The best time to prepare for winter is before the first Watch is issued. See how food, water, power, and gear fit together on our 90-Day Ready hub, or explore Backup Power.
Sources: Ready.gov: Winter Weather; Ready.gov: Power Outages; Ready.gov: Build a Kit; CDC: Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Basics. Product specifications are from ReadyPantry product listings.