Skip the Shovel: How to Prep for the Biggest Storm of the Season

The Winter storm has no name. But a storm is coming, An extreme winter weather system is expected to move eastward from New Mexico to Georgia and Maine beginning Friday, and affect anywhere from a third to half the country’s population by the end of the weekend. This will likely bring snow, ice accumulation, and biting cold to parts of the country unaccustomed to harsh winter weather.

The best thing to do is bunker in. But doing so requires preparation. Extreme winter weather can cause a nest of difficulties that combine into a crisis, especially if you live in an area without infrastructure and experience handling a foot of snow and single-digit temperatures. Ice buildup and high winds, and the high energy use that comes with extreme cold, cause power outages that disable the electric home heating systems commonly used in places with normally mild weather. Roads may be ...