Parts of northwest Nebraska got whalloped by winter weather in the past day while much of the state was spared the early snowfall. Jeff Johnson, warning coordination meteorologist at the National Weather Service, says having a well-stocked emergency kit in your vehicle could be a life-saver.
Johnson says, “If you get caught out in the weather, in the elements, and get stranded for a time period, you’re going to need some things: non-perishable food items, blankets, a way to communicate — a good cell phone — just some things to survive six-to-12 hours typically before help arrives.”
He says motorists need to keep themselves particularly aware of the weather during the winter and heed the travel advisories when they’re issued. Johnson says: “People just drive too fast and they need to get where they need to go and they think they can make it, especially if they have four-wheel drive, but that doesn’t do any good on the ice. You need to slow down, take it easy, allow yourself a safe distance between vehicles and drive very defensively.” He says some people take it to the opposite extreme — driving over-cautiously and really slowly. That, too, can present a serious hazard.
Johnson recommends the National Weather Service website for more winter weather survival tips. “We have a lot information about what to do when we have a winter storm, blizzards, ice storms, extreme cold and wind chill.”