Preparing For Frigid Blast Blowing Through Region

Cold Weather Safety NOAA graphic

San Andreas, CA — As temperatures drop due to a winter storm system set to hit the Mother Lode this evening, remember to protect using the four Ps: people, pets, pipes, and plants.

As we reported earlier, the National Weather Service has issued a Wind Advisory for the Mother Lode and the northern San Joaquin Valley from 8 p.m. tonight through 11 p.m. Wednesday. Additionally, a Winter Storm Warning has been issued for the western slope of the northern Sierra Nevada and Yosemite National Park from 11 p.m. tonight until 11 p.m. Thursday, with the heaviest snowfall expected through Wednesday evening. As the storm system moves through the Mother Lode, the temperatures will dip to freezing or below. Calaveras County Public Health encourages the public to prepare and protect by using the four Ps provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA):

People:

• Minimize time outdoors.
• Prepare for power outages.
• Check on the elderly and other vulnerable people to make sure they are okay.

Pets:

• Keep your pets warm, dry, and indoors as much as possible.
• Ensure their food and water do not freeze.
• Limit outside time and keep them bundled up.

Pipes:

• Insulate pipes if possible.
• Open up sink cabinets to expose pipes to heated air.
• Disconnect hoses and turn off water to sprinklers.

Plants:

• Know their temperature thresholds.
• If possible, cover them before the cold weather sets in to help retain some heat.

For more cold weather safety tips, click here.

“As California faces more severe weather, we’re deploying fire and rescue resources throughout the state to protect communities,” advised Governor Gavin Newsom.

Newsom has instructed the California Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) to work with partner agencies across the state to keep people safe. More than 400 state employees are being pre-deployed to aid in the reaction.