Meteorologist urges winter road prep

Chief Meteorologist Lisa Green of Valley News Live advised drivers to prepare their vehicles and assemble winter survival kits immediately. The warning issued on Friday, October 31, 2026, emphasizes readiness before winter weather conditions impact regional travel. Green stated that now is the correct time to organize equipment to handle potential roadside emergencies.

The guidance aligns with recommendations from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety. The department suggests keeping fuel tanks at least one-half full before any trip. Drivers should monitor forecasts, road reports, and storm warnings from local news outlets. Clothing should include extra scarves and mittens. Travelers must allow additional time for journeys during severe weather events.

Pre-trip planning includes notifying a contact of the intended route. Upon arrival, drivers should confirm their safe status. If a vehicle stalls or becomes stuck, occupants should tie a colored banner from the survival kit to the antenna or hang it from a window. At night, removing the cover from the dome light allows road crews to spot the vehicle from a distance. Emergency flashers should only activate when approaching vehicles are heard to conserve battery power. One person must remain awake as a watcher while others rest.

Safety experts recommend staying inside the vehicle during a storm. Walking risks disorientation, exhaustion, and collapse. The car serves as a shelter against the elements. Overexertion from shoveling snow or pushing a car can trigger heart attacks or injuries. Drivers should avoid working to the point of sweating, as wet clothing loses insulation and increases hypothermia risk.

Ventilation requires caution. A plugged exhaust system can allow carbon monoxide to enter the cabin. Drivers should verify the exhaust pipe is clear of snow before running the engine. Snow should be cleared from the radiator to prevent overheating. Occupants can stay warm without fuel by loosening tight clothing, changing positions, and moving limbs. Huddling together and rubbing hands together or placing them in armpits helps maintain circulation. Shoes should be removed occasionally to rub feet.

A recommended survival kit fits in an empty three-pound coffee can with a plastic cover. Items include small candles, matches, a sharp knife, plastic spoons, a red bandanna, a pencil, paper, a large plastic garbage bag, safety pins, a whistle, snacks, a cell phone adapter, and a plastic flashlight. Batteries should be reversed to prevent accidental activation and warmed before use. Food items like raisins, chocolate, candy bars, gum, hard candies, food bars, and canned goods are suggested. Bulky items such as a 30-foot cord, booster cables, basic tools, sand or cat litter in a plastic carton, a shovel, tow cables, sleeping bags, flares, and heavy boots should be stored in accessible locations.

If stranded, call 911. Provide location, condition of all occupants, and the specific problem to authorities. Follow instructions and do not hang up until the plan is clear. If leaving the vehicle is necessary, write the name, address, phone number, and destination on paper and place it inside the front windshield.