Winter weather preparedness week: Snow safety
It's day three of Missouri's winter weather preparedness week and the topic of the day is snow safety. Although Wednesday afternoon saw highs ty the record high of 81 degrees set back in 2005, winter is still inevitable for Mid-Missouri.
Historically, Mid-Missouri has seen its first snow possible in the second half of October. Snow can lead to a plethora of issues including travel and health related injuries.
The best advice when it comes to driving in snow is to avoid this action if at all possible. If travel is needed, make sure avoid abrupt starts and stops. The decrease in friction between your tires and the road is substantial. Another tough challenge is inclines such as hills. Do not risk powering up steep hills; if at all possible find an alternate route. If you are making your way up a hill, make sure to continue your momentum and avoid stopping before reaching the peak.
When it comes to physical snow removal such as shoveling. Make sure to consult your primary doctor to make sure you have the physical ability to do so safely. If you are in good standing with your health, make sure to lift with your legs avoiding bending your back. When temperatures reach below 40 degrees, make sure to not over exacerbate yourself. If you begin to sweat while shoveling, but then pause or finish and remain outside, you put yourself at risk greater risk of hypothermia as your sweat could then cool dramatically or freeze.
