Be Prepared for the Next Winter Storm … Before It Arrives
Last January, a family in a nearby mountain town woke to a house that felt like a walk-in freezer.
The forecast had promised “just a little wintry mix,” but by sunrise, a thin, glassy sheen of ice had turned every tree branch around their house into a crystal-like spear.
Nearby a single leaning oak, already cracked and weakened from Hurricane Helene, gave way with a crack that sounded like a rifle shot. It took out the powerline at the bottom of their driveway, alongside the two-lane road that ran by their house.
So for three days and freezing cold nights, they huddled around a small space heater running off a gas-powered generator. The road below their home was a glittering sheet of black ice that they were told no utility truck could get over safely.
And so they waited. And waited…
Why is Ice Such an Electric Grid Killer?
This type of thing is not uncommon here in Western NC. While winter temperatures are not dipping as bad as they used to, this warmer air is now trapping more and more moisture in the clouds and that creates more ice storms.
And a “little mixed rain and sleet” can knock out your electricity for days until the power company can get to you.
Ice can be tricky. It glitters on trees and dangles like fairy lights off of power lines but ice is very, very heavy when compared to snow.
Did you know that as little as a half-inch of ice can add roughly 500 pounds to a single power line? That’s enough extra weight to sag wires, snap tree branches, and topple power poles.
The scars from Hurricane Helene have created a new, more dangerous winter reality than we’re used to. Landslides and catastrophic flooding have permanently altered our hillsides, embankments, and roadway shoulders.
Not to mention toppling thousands and thousands of trees, which left the remaining trees even more vulnerable to winter wind storms and freezing rain.
You see, freezing rain is “stickier” than snow; it coats everything, loading down tree limbs, covering roads and electric lines in a matter of hours.
That matters more than ever in our WNC mountains. The power crews did what they could to rebuild entire segments of the local electric grid within months. And we thank them for all their heroic efforts.
But a whole lot of these new utility poles and power lines had to be reinstalled on land that was not stable as it used to be. Mountain landscapes weakened by shifting soil and erosion, can over time become prone to “slope failure” (fancy talk for possible mud and landslides).
We’ve all seen the other Helene aftermath, a “weakened tree canopy”.
A “weakened tree canopy” is all the trees that are cracked, leaning, or root-damaged, yet are still sorta “upright”. These trees are far more likely to fail under the next heavy load of ice during a storm.
Not to mention, unlike other regions in the state, the majority of homes here in Western NC rely on electricity for winter heat. The harsh truth is that after Helene, our region is at higher risk for grid infrastructure damage during bad weather.
Our power grid is just more vulnerable to ice storms, high-winds and heavy snow than before. This means we will probably have more widespread and longer outages in the coming years, IMHO.
One reason for this is that winter storms create “cascade failures.” For example, say a crew in your area comes to fix a downed power line. They rush to repair it and get the power back on so they can move on to the next problem.
But within hours, more ice and snow can fall, tearing down another line. OR causing a tree limb to snap, and fall. OR toppling a utility pole. OR even worse, blowing out a transformer, all in the same general area.
These types of failures can happen over and over for days, even weeks, even after the storm has ended. We all know that our mountain roads are difficult to drive on during or after a winter storm. So you and your family could be stuck sitting in the cold until your heat is restored.
So when there is a prolonged power outage, families like yours can quickly move from a little inconvenience to a multi-day heating crisis as your indoor temperatures drop.
Here’s what you can do to prepare…
Winter Ice Storm Action Plan
Before an ice storm
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Trim hazard trees now: Have a tree cutter remove or cable up dangerous limbs near utility lines and near your home, especially trees leaning or cracked from Helene.
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Stock essentials: Water, non-perishable food, flashlights, batteries, a battery-powered radio, and a plan for charging phones.
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Prepare a backup heat source: Firewood is a better backup heat source than a generator because it needs no fuel, makes no noise, and never suffers mechanical failures. And can be used indoors.
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NOTE: Our kiln-dried firewood provides you with a steady source of fire for cooking as well as warmth and light right inside your home, during even the longest power outage.
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During an ice storm
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Plan for extended outages: Treat any ice forecast as a multi-day event. Conserve phone battery and limit travel; roads will be treacherous.
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Protect pipes: Let faucets drip slightly and keep cabinet doors open under sinks to allow warm air to reach pipes.
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Use wood burning stoves safely: Only burn dry, seasoned firewood to heat your home safely during power outages. Keep curtains and bedding away from them; never leave fires unattended.
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NOTE: Check your stove pipe or chimney for signs of creosote buildup, rust, cracks, loose connections, or warping from excessive heat. Kiln-dried wood is fully seasoned and greatly reduces the risks of creosote buildup.
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After an ice storm
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Report downed lines immediately and stay far away; treat all wires as live. Wait for the professionals to move them.
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Check on neighbors: Especially elders and those with medical equipment dependent on power.
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Let fires burn down: Allow remaining wood sticks to turn completely to ash rather than smothering or dousing hot coals rapidly with water, which can crack or damage even a cast iron stove.
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NOTE: Remove the ashes once the stove or fireplace is fully cold. Inspect everything for cracks. Check any firebricks, the stove body, and door gaskets for any heat stress or warping caused by heavy continuous burning during the outage.
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The bottom line: Helene didn’t just break things; it changed the whole Western NC environment when it comes to ice storm risks. Treat ice storms as the grid’s worst-case scenario and prepare accordingly. We invite you to contact us if you have questions about our kiln-dried wood or click to order online and stock up before Fall comes.