CTZ001-013-MAZ001-025-NYZ032-033-038>043-047>054-058>061-063>066- 082>084-VTZ013>015-221900- PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 800 AM EDT MON OCT 22 2011 ...WINTER WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK CONTINUES... OCTOBER 21 TO OCTOBER 27 IS WINTER WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK IN NEW YORK AND NEW ENGLAND. TODAY WE EXPLORE STEPS YOU CAN TAKE TO MITIGATE THE EFFECTS OF OUR HARSH WINTER WEATHER. DESTRUCTIVE ICE STORMS...SUCH AS THE DECEMBER 2008 STORM...CAN BRING DOWN TREES AND POWER LINES LEAVING COMMUNITIES WITHOUT POWER FOR DAYS. HEAVY SNOW CAN PILE UP SEVERAL FEET...SUCH AS DURING THE FEBRUARY STORM OF 2010 WHEN SOME LOCATIONS IN THE CATSKILL MOUNTAINS RECEIVED OVER 40 INCHES OF SNOW. WET SNOW...SUCH AS DURING THE OCTOBER STORM OF 2011...CAN ALSO BRING DOWN TREES AND POWER LINES. BITING COLD AND STRONG WINDS CAN NUMB OUR FINGERS AND TOES. THESE ARE ALL FACTS OF LIFE DURING THE WINTER. HOWEVER...THERE IS PLENTY WE CAN DO TO HELP PROTECT OURSELVES AND OUR LOVED ONES. WINTER IS THE MOST DANGEROUS TIME OF THE YEAR FOR DRIVERS. NEARLY THREE OUT OF EVERY FOUR WINTER WEATHER RELATED DEATHS OCCUR ON ROADWAYS. IF ROADS ARE SNOW COVERED OR ICY...SLOW DOWN AND DRIVE CAREFULLY. CLEAR YOUR CAR OF SNOW AND ICE BEFORE YOU DRIVE. MAKE SURE ALL WINDOWS ARE CLEAR. THE COLD WEATHER ALSO PUTS AN ADDED STRAIN ON YOUR CAR...SO WE SUGGEST THAT YOU GET YOUR VEHICLE IN GOOD MECHANICAL CONDITION NOW. MAKE SURE IT IS TUNED UP. CHECK YOUR TIRES...BRAKES... BATTERIES...WINDSHIELD WIPERS...AND ANTIFREEZE. IF YOUR CAR IS IN GOOD WORKING ORDER...THERE IS LESS CHANCE IT WILL FAIL DURING HARSH WINTER WEATHER. CONSIDER KEEPING A WINTER STORM SURVIVAL KIT IN YOUR CAR WHICH INCLUDES A BLANKET...FIRST AID KIT...FLASHLIGHT WITH FRESH BATTERIES... SHOVEL...SACK OF SAND OR CAT LITTER...BOOSTER CABLES...TOW STRAP...ICE SCRAPER AND BRUSH AND HIGH ENERGY NON PERISHABLE FOOD. CALL AHEAD TO YOUR DESTINATION TO TELL SOMEONE YOU ARE ON YOUR WAY. TRY NOT TO TRAVEL ALONE. IF YOU ARE STUCK IN YOUR CAR DURING A WINTER STORM... STAY THERE...AND TIE A BRIGHTLY COLORED CLOTH TO THE ANTENNA. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO WALK TO SAFETY UNLESS YOU CAN CLEARLY SEE THE SHELTER YOU WISH TO REACH. YOU ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE RESCUED FROM YOUR VEHICLE THAN FROM A BARN OR OTHER UNINHABITED...OUT OF THE WAY BUILDING. WHILE WAITING FOR HELP...RUN THE CARS MOTOR AND HEATER JUST ENOUGH TO KEEP FROM BECOMING UNREASONABLY COLD. MAKE SURE TO OPEN A WINDOW SLIGHTLY...AND CLEAR SNOW FROM THE CARS TAILPIPE. THIS WILL HELP PREVENT CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING FROM THE EXHAUST. DRESS WARMLY FOR THE COLD WEATHER. SEVERAL LAYERS OF LOOSE FITTING CLOTHING ARE BETTER THAN ONE TIGHT FITTING GARMENT. MITTENS ARE WARMER THAN GLOVES. DO NOT FORGET YOUR HAT SINCE YOUR BODYS GREATEST HEAT LOSS OCCURS FROM YOUR HEAD. WIND CHILL...THE COMBINATION OF COLD TEMPERATURES AND WIND...INCREASES THE DANGER OF FROSTBITE OR HYPOTHERMIA. BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS WHEN VENTURING OUT ONTO AN ICE COVERED BODY OF WATER. AN ICE THICKNESS OF AT LEAST FOUR INCHES IS RECOMMENDED TO SUPPORT A PERSON. SNOWMOBILES AND ATVS NEED AT LEAST FIVE INCHES OF ICE...WHILE CARS AND LIGHT TRUCKS REQUIRE AT LEAST EIGHT TO 12 INCHES. FACTORS WHICH CAN BE USED TO ASSESS THE STRENGTH OF THE ICE INCLUDE THE ICE APPEARANCE...THICKNESS... DAILY TEMPERATURE...SNOW COVER...AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE LOAD ON THE ICE. FOR THOSE OF YOU WITH INTERNET ACCESS...ALL OF OUR WEATHER AND HYDROLOGIC INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ONLINE. SIMPLY GO TO WWW.WEATHER.GOV AND THEN CLICK ON EASTERN NEW YORK OR WESTERN NEW ENGLAND. THIS WILL TAKE YOU TO THE MAIN WEB PAGE OF THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ALBANY NEW YORK. $$ DIRIENZO