Getting Ready for Snow and Ice

This is what I found while taking a look at the weather....yuck..

.. WINTER STORM WARNING NOW IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 7 AM EST WEDNESDAY...
THE WINTER STORM WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 7 AM EST WEDNESDAY.
A MIXTURE OF SNOW... SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN IS EXPECTED TO OVERSPREAD THE AREA BETWEEN MIDNIGHT AND 6 AM TUESDAY MORNING... FALLING HEAVILY AT TIMES. THE PRECIPITATION IS THEN EXPECTED TO CHANGE OVER TO ALL FREEZING RAIN AFTER DAWN TUESDAY... MIXING WITH RAIN AT TIMES THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE MORNING AS TEMPERATURES RISE TO OR SLIGHTLY ABOVE FREEZING FOR MOST AREAS. UP TO 2 INCHES OF SNOW AND SLEET ACCUMULATION IS EXPECTED... WITH ONE QUARTER TO ONE HALF INCH OF ICE FROM FREEZING RAIN EXPECTED BY NOON ON TUESDAY. THE PRECIPITATION SHOULD THEN TURN TO ALL RAIN FOR A TIME TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND TUESDAY EVENING AS TEMPERATURES WARM ABOVE FREEZING... BUT THE PRECIPITATION WILL THEN LIKELY TRANSITION BACK TO FREEZING RAIN... SLEET AND SNOW BY DAWN ON WEDNESDAY WITH ADDITIONAL LIGHT SNOW AND ICE ACCUMULATIONS LIKELY.
AT THIS TIME... IT APPEARS TOTAL SNOWFALL AMOUNTS WILL RANGE FROM 1 TO 3 INCHES FROM MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING... WITH SOME ADDITIONAL LIGHT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS POSSIBLE INTO THE DAY ON WEDNESDAY. AROUND ONE HALF AN INCH OF ICE FROM FREEZING RAIN IS ALSO EXPECTED. DOWNED POWER LINES... TREES... OR TREE LIMBS... COULD RESULT FROM THE WEIGHT OF THE ICE. RESIDENTS SHOULD PREPARE FOR POSSIBLE EXTENDED POWER OUTAGES. TRAVEL COULD ALSO BE EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE.
THE EXACT AMOUNT AND TYPE OF PRECIPITATION WILL BE AFFECTED BY THE TRACK OF THIS STORM. IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THERE CONTINUES TO BE A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF UNCERTAINTY AS TO THE EXACT TRACK OF THIS WEATHER SYSTEM... SO BE SURE TO LISTEN FOR LATER UPDATES.
A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW... SLEET... AND ICE ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. THIS WILL MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE.

OK, no problem just got to get a few things in order is all. After making sure all the animals where well taken care of, I went to town and picked up a few extra snacks, chips, cookies and candy bars just to have to munch on during snow and ice that will be going on just outside our window. Stopped on the way home and topped off the gas tank in the Jeep...$6.00..lol If the power is out you may not be able to pump gas these days. No hand pumps anywhere that I've seen. Made sure all flashlights had fresh batteries and were within reach. All dishes are washed and so are the clothes. Everyone will be taking a hot shower tonight rather than wait till morning when there may not be electric service. Ice and snow are pretty hard on over hanging tree limbs and even the power lines themselves. If we get very much of either we could be in for a power outage that could last for a while. I also caught up some more drinking water...got plenty but this was a good chance to get more in storage. Solar lanterns are fully charged. Mine also have a wall charger and I used them to get a really good charge in them. One of my solar lanterns have a hand crank to charge it too. You can even plug your cell phone or ipod into and charge them too by hand power. Small one burner propane stove is ready and waiting for it's call to duty. I have 8, 2 pak propane bottles in storage. I have a tote full of firewood and more just outside the door if I need it. All in all, I'm ready for whatever may come. For more information on what to do if you are caught in a snow storm check out Kentucky Preppers Network. They have a great post on skills and ideas to keep you safe if you are caught in a storm.

Here's a few pictures of some of the preps I made today...the storm may pass..either way..I'm ready....Are you??