Severe Winter Awareness Week: Are you Ready for Winter?

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“First of all a mild winter here is still a hellacious biter winter for just about anybody else in the country,” said Greg Gust of the National Service Weather Center.

Whether or not the rumor of the region experiencing another mild winter is true, severe winter conditions will still be a reality.

The National Weather Service Center says people need to be prepared for winter storms they call “deceptive killers”.

High wind and blowing snow that comes in quickly.

“20 below or 30 to 40 below that’s hard on your system. So it’s deceptive because the cold it just a real stress,” said Greg Gust of the National Service Weather Center

If you’re going to survive what the National Weather Service has named the deceptive killer you’re going to need things like extra winter clothes in your car. You will also need gloves, and things like granola bars that are high in fiber in your car at all times.

The center says social media has become a great resource.

Pictures posted by the public on their Facebook and Twitter have helped them confirm conditions, and even alert severe weather when other forms of communication are lost.

Emily Turk has seen her fair share of North Dakota winters, and she says she has already started preparing.

“I am cleaning out my garage making room for my car so it’s not so cold when I get in there in the morning,” said long time North Dakota resident Emily  Turk.

When it comes to an emergency she says she always keeps two things in her car.

“A shovel and a portable battery starter,” said long time North Dakota resident Emily  Turk.

A lighter or matches for heat, and a flashlight are also helpful things to have in your vehicle in case of an emergency.

Brittany Ford KVRR News.

The National Weather Service reports that most deaths that occur during winter are related to traffic accidents on icy roads and hypothermia.