Every winter, Oregon sees temperatures drop and hazards rise. Severe winter storms may not happen every year, but they can be deadly. Ice and snow storms can compromise your ability to travel, and sometimes, leave you stuck in your car.
FILE: Door Dash driver Nalik Jackson of Portland struggles to put on snow chains in Beaverton, Feb. 12, 2021.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
Jon Liu, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service, said being prepared for winter storms before they hit can help you survive a winter storm travel experience.
“If your car gets stuck in the middle of the highway, snow’s coming down and you can’t really go anywhere, you’re going to want to have a way to keep warm and have access to water and food,” Liu said.
If stuck in your car, “cold can really get to you faster than anything else,” Liu said. “If your car dies, or you try to conserve gas, cars have some insulation, but they’re not going to keep the cold out super well. So you want to make sure you have ways to keep warm.”
That includes having blankets and warm clothes in your car. But it also means making sure your car can handle the elements.
Preparing for conditions
The Oregon Health Authority has recommendations for adapting your car to cold temperatures and extreme weather.
- Have your radiator system serviced or check the antifreeze level yourself with an antifreeze tester.
- Replace your windshield wiper fluid with a wintertime mixture.
- Replace any worn tires and check the air pressure in your tires.
- Throughout winter, keep the gas tank near full to help avoid ice in the tank and fuel lines.
- For you tires, “chains are the best idea if you’re going to be out driving in ice or snow,” Liu said. “Winter tires at the least are a good idea.”
Keep your car fueled and in good working order. Be sure to check the following:
- Heater
- Brakes
- Ignition
- Emergency flashers
- Exhaust
- Fuel
- Oil
- Brake fluid
- Defroster
- Battery
- Radiator
Emergency kit
The National Weather Service has pages on staying prepared for all kinds of weather events. For winter storms, NWS has resources for dressing, driving and understanding forecasts.
It also has a list of items to include in an emergency supply kit in your car:
- First aid kit
- Jumper cables
- Spare tire
- Flares
- Sand or kitty litter
- Tow rope
- Blankets
- Snow shovel and brush
- Flashlight
- Mittens, hat, boots and other warm clothes
- Water and snacks
- Cell phone charger
It’s important to have an emergency kit prepared before winter storm season, NWS says, “because you never know when you will encounter winter weather or an emergency road closure.”
Liu said the unexpectedness of a winter storm can leave people unprepared. That’s when risks of hypothermia, running out of food and water, or being stuck in your car are the highest.
The best way to stay prepared?
“Stay tuned to your forecast to make sure you’re not blindsided by this kind of stuff,” Liu said. “If you’re a few days out, you still have time to make preparations. Ideally you should have prepared before the season started, but there is still time.”