Snowmageddon Prep for the South: What to Do Before the First Flake

For a moment, modern life hushes. But magic turns to misery fast if you enter it unprepared.

Southerners know how to prepare. We do it for hurricanes, thunderstorms, and tornadoes. We understand supplies, timing, and the value of acting before things get ugly. Snow and ice are different animals, though. They break infrastructure in quieter ways, linger longer, and punish small oversights. This weekend we're looking at an atypical snow and ice storm, and by all indications it's going to be a doozy.

What follows is everything I’ve learned about being actually ready for a significant snow or ice event – not panicked, not performative, just competent. 

Reset the House: Clean, Calm, Contained

Start with the interior.

• Clean kids’ rooms. Not perfection – functionality. Clear floors and accessible beds mean no chaos if the lights go out.
• Tidy common areas so people can gather together without tripping over clutter. This is the perfect time to do all those little tasks you've been meaning to do.
• Take trash out now. Storm trash piles are a morale killer.

Order matters. A clean house handles stress better than a messy one.

Front‑Load Everything That Uses Electricity

Assume you may lose power for 24–72 hours.

Do these before the storm:

• Wash and dry all clothes, towels, and bedding.
• Run the dishwasher. Empty it.
• Refill humidifiers if you use them.
• Pre‑cook or prep meals that reheat easily over a grill, a fire, or in a crockpot in the car.

If the power stays on, no harm done. If it goes out, you’re ahead.

Cars: Fuel Is Power

Speaking of cars: your car is not just transportation. It’s a mobile generator.

• Fill gas tanks completely. Do not stop at “mostly full.”
• Park cars facing outward if possible.
• Clear them of unnecessary junk.

Critical upgrade:

• If your car doesn’t have standard wall outlets, buy a power inverter now.

With an inverter:

• You can run a crock pot, hot plate, or kettle.
• You can recharge devices safely.
• You can produce real hot food, not just snacks.

This alone turns a blackout from crisis into inconvenience.

Heat and Light: Redundancy Matters

Have multiple layers of backup.

• Blankets easily reachable – not buried in closets.
• Flashlights for every adult.
• Lanterns for shared spaces.
• Extra batteries, unopened and stored together.

Candles are optional. Light without flame is safer with kids.

Power Discipline

Before the storm hits:

• Fully charge all phones, tablets, laptops, power banks.
• Download entertainment for offline use.
• Turn off unnecessary background drains.

During an outage, ration power deliberately, not reactively.

Food: Hot and Nourishing Matters More Than Fancy

Forget bread-and-milk panic. That’s habit, not logic.

What you actually want is food that is shelf-stable, filling, and easy to heat.

Have on hand or purchase:

• Canned soups, stews, chili, and make sure you have a good manual can opener
• Broth or stock (more useful than you think)
• Rice, pasta, boxed mac and cheese
• Oatmeal (quick oats especially)
• Canned beans and lentils
• Peanut butter
• Shelf-stable milk or powdered milk
• Eggs (keep well in cold conditions)

Avoid relying on:

• Fresh bread (goes stale, moldy)
• Perishables that require constant refrigeration

Hot food does more than feed you. It regulates body temperature and morale.

What to Buy Now (and What Not to Panic-Buy)

If you’re heading to the store, focus on utility, not tradition.

Buy these:

• Batteries (AA, AAA, whatever your gear actually uses)
• LED lanterns or headlamps
• Power banks
• A car power inverter, as suggested above
• Shelf-stable food (see above)
• Coffee or tea (withdrawal during a storm is unnecessary suffering)
• Paper plates and disposable cutlery (dishwashing without power is annoying)
• Trash bags
• Pet food and litter
• A standard teapot if you don't already have one
• Critical: any medication refills you'll need for the next two weeks (better safe than sorry)

Skip the stampede for:

• Bread and gallons of milk
• Fancy snacks with no calories
• One-off novelty gear you don’t know how to use

Buy boring. Boring works.

Water and Sanity

• Ensure you have drinking water on hand.
• Fill tubs or extra containers if you’re in an area prone to outages.

Keep it simple. Snow melts.

Coffee, Tea, and Heat Without the Grid

Your Keurig is a brick without electricity. Plan accordingly.

What works:

• A plain old teapot or kettle
• A French press, pour-over cone, or instant coffee
• Tea bags or loose tea

How to heat water safely:

• Gas stove (works even if the electricity is out)
• Fireplace with proper cookware
• Outdoor grill using charcoal or propane

If you have an outdoor grill:

• Make sure you have at least one spare propane tank or extra charcoal.
• Treat the grill as a serious backup cooking system, not just a summer toy.

A grill lets you:

• Boil water
• Cook frozen or refrigerated food before it spoils
• Make real meals instead of living on crackers

Important safety rule:

• Never use grills, propane burners, or charcoal indoors. Ever.

Hot drinks matter. They regulate temperature, improve mood, and keep routines intact when everything else is disrupted.

Ice Storm-Specific Prep: Cars and Access

Ice is often worse than snow in the South. It shuts things down fast.

Before freezing rain hits:

• Cover exterior car door keyholes with plastic wrap (Saran Wrap works) to prevent them from icing shut. Tape down with blue painter's tape.
• Fold side mirrors inward if possible.
• Lift windshield wipers so they don’t freeze to the glass.

These are small actions that prevent big frustrations when you actually need to get somewhere.

Prepare So You Don’t Have to Drive

The best winter driving decision is not driving at all.

Before the storm:

• Make sure you have enough food, water, and medicine to stay put for several days.
• Finish errands early. Don’t plan on "one last run."

If ice is expected:

• Park vehicles away from trees and power lines if at all possible.
• Avoid parking on slopes where ice can turn gravity into an enemy.

Ice storms bring down limbs and entire trees. Cars are replaceable. People are not.

Cold Exposure: Know the Warning Signs

If you or your kids are going to be outside, even briefly, cold exposure matters.

Watch for hypothermia signs:

• Uncontrollable shivering
• Slurred speech
• Confusion or clumsiness
• Extreme fatigue

Watch for frostbite signs:

• Numbness
• Pale, gray, or waxy-looking skin
• Tingling followed by loss of sensation

What to do:

• Get indoors immediately
• Remove wet clothing
• Warm slowly with dry layers and blankets
• Use warm (not hot) drinks if the person is conscious

Do not:

• Rub frostbitten skin aggressively
• Use direct high heat

Cold injuries sneak up quietly. Knowledge prevents mistakes.

Carbon Monoxide: The Silent Winter Killer

Cold weather makes people take risks they would never take in summer.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is colorless, odorless, and deadly.

Never:

• Run a car in a closed or partially closed garage
• Use generators, grills, or propane heaters indoors
• Bring charcoal grills inside “just for a minute”

Always:

• Keep vents and flues clear of snow and ice
• Use fireplaces properly and never overload them
• Install and check carbon monoxide detectors if you have them

Many winter storm deaths are not from cold. They are from CO poisoning.

Check on Neighbors

Storms reveal who is isolated.

Before and during severe weather:

• Check on elderly neighbors
• Check on people who live alone
• Make sure pets outside are accounted for

A quick knock or phone call can prevent emergencies or tragedies. Your prepared household will reduce strain on emergency services and strengthen your community.

Related: The Child’s Journey and the Lost Art of Growing Up

Final Word

Preparedness is not only about avoiding disaster. It’s also about being free to enjoy what comes.

If you’ve done the work – food handled, power planned, cars parked, neighbors checked – snow becomes what it should be: a rare gift.

And especially in the South, where snow is a rare novelty, that means play.

You don’t need fancy gear. Southerners have always been good at improvisation.

Impromptu sled ideas:

• Heavy cardboard boxes, flattened
• Trash can lids
• Laundry baskets (sit low, steer carefully)
• Pool inflatables or boogie boards
• Plastic storage bin lids
• Cookie sheets or cafeteria trays

Anything slick, sturdy, and low to the ground can become snow fun with a little imagination.

Bundle up. Laugh loud. Come back inside when your cheeks sting and your fingers tingle. Make hot cocoa or soup. Dry mittens on a chair by the fire.

Prepared people don’t just endure snowstorms. They get to enjoy them.