What Should I Stock Up on Before a Winter Storm
A winter storm kit covers your home and your car, because being stranded in either one without supplies is the real risk.
Food, water, heat, light, and a car kit, stocked before the forecast turns
Before a winter storm, you want enough food and water to last several days without needing to drive anywhere, a way to stay warm if the power goes out, flashlights and batteries, any medication you take regularly, and a car kit if you drive at all during winter. The point of stocking up early is that stores empty out and roads get bad fast once a storm is named, so the week before matters more than the day before.
The car kit is the part people skip, and it's the part that matters most if you're ever caught out in the storm itself. A blanket, a flashlight, a phone charger that doesn't need an outlet, some food that won't spoil, sand or kitty litter for traction, and a full tank of gas before the storm hits. None of that helps you if it's sitting in your garage while you're stuck on a road somewhere.
Whether you'll need to drive during or right after the storm
If you can stay home until the roads are cleared, your main job is stocking the house. Water, shelf stable food, a way to cook without power, flashlights, batteries, and a backup way to charge your phone. If you take medication, fill it before the storm rather than after, since pharmacies can close along with everything else.
If your work, a family member, or anything else means you might be driving during the storm or in the day or two after, the car kit becomes just as important as what's in your kitchen. Roads that look clear can still be icy underneath, and a car that stalls or slides off the road in freezing temperatures turns into a serious situation quickly without supplies on hand.
Check your car before the forecast gets bad, not after. Tire tread, wiper blades, antifreeze level, and a full tank of gas all matter more in winter than the rest of the year. A quarter tank is normal driving around town. It is not enough if you get stuck in traffic for hours during a storm with the engine barely running to stay warm.
What people forget until they need it
Flashlights without batteries that fit them. A generator without fuel stored safely. A phone charger that only works when plugged into a wall that has no power. These are the gaps that show up halfway through a storm, not before it.
Pets get left out of most lists. If you have a pet, they need food, water, and a warm place just like anyone else in the house, and that's easy to forget when you're focused on people.
Cash is worth having on hand in small amounts. If the power is out, card readers don't work, and a gas station or corner store that's open might only take cash.
A way to know what's happening outside your house matters too. A battery powered or hand crank radio still works when the internet and cell service don't, and storms are exactly when those tend to go down.
Questions people ask about this
How long should emergency food supplies last during a winter storm?
This depends on how severe storms get where you live and how quickly roads and power are usually restored after one. Check with your local emergency management office or utility company for how long outages have lasted in past storms in your area, and plan around that rather than a guess.
Is it safe to run a car in the garage to stay warm during a power outage?
No, running a car inside a garage, even with the door open, risks carbon monoxide buildup inside the house. If you need to run a car for heat or to charge a phone, do it outside and away from windows or vents, never in an attached garage.
What should I do if my car breaks down during a winter storm?
Stay with your car rather than walking for help, since it's easier for rescuers to spot a vehicle than a person on foot in heavy snow. Run the engine briefly for heat if you're able to, keeping the exhaust pipe clear of snow, and use your car kit supplies while you wait. Call for help if you have signal and let someone know where you are.
Should I keep extra prescription medication on hand for a storm?
Talk to your pharmacist about filling prescriptions a few days early before a storm, since many insurance plans have rules about how soon a refill can be covered. If a storm is forecast and you're close to needing a refill, it's worth asking about this before the pharmacy itself closes or runs low.
How do I winterize my car before storm season?
Have a mechanic check your battery, antifreeze, tire tread, and wiper blades before cold weather sets in, since all of these perform differently in freezing temperatures. Switching to winter tires if you live somewhere with regular heavy snow is worth asking a mechanic about as well.
Worth checking what your car insurance actually covers if you're ever stranded in a storm.
This week, walk through your house and car separately and write down what's missing from each, rather than trying to remember everything at once. Fill any prescriptions you're close to needing a refill on, and top off your gas tank even if you weren't planning to drive. Check your car's battery, tires, and wiper blades, especially if it's been a while since a mechanic looked at them. Put together a car kit with a blanket, flashlight, phone charger, and some food, and keep it in the car rather than the garage. If you have an elderly neighbor or family member nearby, it's worth asking whether they have what they need too, since a quick call now is easier than a drive during the storm itself.
