What Not To Do During A Winter Storm In Your Area

Over the past week, we have been bombarded with advice on what we “should” do before and during a winter storm. But what should we “not” do?

Don’t Scarf Down All the Snacks

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying you cannot eat it. But I am saying do not eat constantly. With winter storms, anything can happen (as we learned back in 2021). Make sure you pace yourself with your food supply so that it will last.

Watch the Wine

We all enjoy an adult beverage on occasion, but if you are without power, you need to know that alcohol lowers your body temperature. That line about whiskey warming you up is pure bunk. I learned the hard way at an outdoor Tom Petty concert at the (then) Starplex in Dallas in 1992.

Don’t Go Sightseeing

We all want to take the perfect picture of the perfect frozen lake, but if it involves driving there...forget about it. If snow was the only form of precipitation in our forecast, you could get away with driving on it that first day...but after it melts and re-freezes, it is a death trap. Our forecast for Temple-Killeen is freezing rain and sleet which is an even bigger death trap.

Don’t Assume Those Outside Steps Are Safe

I am an expert on this tip. Not once, but twice, have I wiped out on steps I “assumed” were dry. There is nothing in the world like the feeling of your feet flying out from under you causing you to bust your butt on the ground. The first time, the problem was a pair of slippers that were worn smooth on the bottom. The second time was probably the same deal. I have tried to erase it from my memory. After two wipeouts, I invested in ice breaker mats for all the outside steps. If the Vermont Country Store says they are good, they must be good.

Don't Assume That ERCOT Will Keep The Power On

We all remember the nightmare of the 2021 Snow-mageddon.It was bad enough that we were freezing for a week, but the icing (no pun intended) on the cake was ERCOT's incompetence. Rolling blackouts for some...total blackout for others...and over 200 deaths when it was all said and done. ERCOT says they are ready this go round and that 2021 was a maintenance issue. Don't rely on that. Buy a generator. Install a fireplace and buy a gas stove. See my memories from the 2021 nightmare in the gallery below.