evision and
newspapers to keep informed of current weather conditions and forecasts
in your area. Even a few hours' warning of a storm may enable you to
avoid being caught outside in it, or at least be better prepared to cope
with it. You should also understand the terms commonly used in weather
forecasts:

--A _blizzard_ is the most dangerous of all winter storms. It combines
cold air, heavy snow, and strong winds that blow the snow about and may
reduce visibility to only a few yards. A _blizzard warning_ is issued
when the Weather Bureau expects considerable snow, winds of 35 miles an
hour or more, and temperatures of 20 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. A
_severe blizzard warning_ means that a very heavy snowfall is expected,
with winds of at least 45 miles an hour and temperatures of 10 degrees
or lower.

--A _heavy snow warning_ usually means an expected snowfall of 4 inches
or more in a 12-hour period, or 6 inches or more in a 24-hour period.
Warnings of _snow flurries, snow squalls_, or _blowing and drifting
snow_ are important mainly because visibility may be reduced and roads
may become slippery or blocked.

--_Freezing rain or freezing drizzle_ is forecast when expected rain is
likely to freeze as soon as it strikes the ground, putting a coating of
ice or glaze on roads and everything else that is exposed. If a
substantial layer of ice is expected to accumulate from the freezing
rain, an _ice storm_ is forecast.

--_Sleet_ is small particles of ice, usually mixed with rain. If enough
sleet accumulates on the ground, it will make the roads slippery.

* BE PREPARED FOR ISOLATION AT HOME. If you live in a rural area, make
sure you could survive at home for a week or two in case a storm
isolated you and made it impossible for you to leave. You should:

--Keep an adequate supply of heating fuel on hand and use it sparingly,
as your regular supplies may be curtailed by storm conditions. If
necessary, conserve fuel by keeping the house cooler than usual, or by
"closing off" some rooms temporarily. Also, have available some kind of
_emergency_ heating equipment and fuel so you could keep at least one
room of your house warm enough to be livable. This could be a camp stove
with fuel, or a supply of wood or coal if you have a fireplace. If your
furnace is controlled by a thermostat and your electricity is cut off by
a storm, the furnace probably would not operate and you would need
emergency heat.

--Stock an emerge