Severe weather warnings in recent years have increased but we often remain ill equipped to cope when this occurs. Below are some helpful contacts should you be concerned about how the weather may affect you and things you can do to help prepare yourself.
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Contacts
If a severe weather warning has been issued in your area, generally the Highways Agency advice is not to travel unless it is absolutely necessary.
If you do need to travel, current updates on road and traffic conditions are available online at https://www.gov.uk/traffic-information
The following websites may also be useful:
- Traffic England – www.trafficengland.com
- Traffic Scotland – trafficscotland.org
- Traffic Wales – traffic-wales.com
- Traffic Watch Northern Ireland – http://trafficwatchni.com/home
You can also access weather forecasts and weather warnings through the Met Office website at www.metoffice.gov.uk.
Listening to your local radio station will keep you updated about local amenities, road and school closures, local road conditions, and local weather forecasts.
Preparation
Your car – maintenance
- Ensure anti-freeze is added to your car’s radiator
- Keep you washer bottle topped up and clean the windows to avoid glare from the low sun
- Check that the battery is in good condition and is fully charged
- Check that the tyres are inflated to the correct pressure and that the tread depth is sufficient
- Replace any worn wiper blades
- Pack an emergency kit and keep it in the car.
Your kit should contain the following:
- Ice scraper and de-icer
- Torch
- Food and drink
- Warm clothes and blankets
- Battery jump leads
- Spade
- Boots
- First aid kit.
Your car – driving
Snow and ice
- Allow more room between you and the car in front as braking distances increase dramatically in snow and ice
- Use a higher gear than normal to avoid wheel spinning
- Avoid any sudden car movements such as sharp braking and turning
- Try to slow down gradually, changing down a gear and braking gently
- If your car starts to skid, do not accelerate and do not brake suddenly.
Fog
- Use dipped headlights to be visible and turn your fog lights on if visibility is seriously reduced
- Remember to turn fog lights off when you have driven out of the fog
- Drive slowly and keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front – it is tempting to tailgate in foggy conditions.
Rain and flood
- Allow extra stopping distance between your car and the one in front as it takes twice as long to stop on wet roads
- If your car starts to aquaplane take your foot off the accelerator and brake gently
- If you have to drive through deep water, drive slowly in first gear to avoid stalling. Keep your revs high and slip the clutch
- Always test your brakes after you have driven through flood water.
Your home – maintenance
- Know where your water mains stop-cock is, as you will need to turn it off if your pipes burst. It is usually located under the kitchen sink
- Ensure any exposed pipes are lagged including any garden taps outside.
- Keep a torch in a handy place together with a spare set of batteries
- If you are away from your home for a period of time keep your heating on low to prevent pipes bursting
- If you are going to be away for any length of time it may be a good idea to turn off the water and drain the pipes if this is possible.
- It is useful to have a list of emergency service providers for plumbing, roofing, cleaning etc
- Know where your mains electricity switch and mains gas tap are located
- A battery-operated radio is helpful to keep up to date with the local news and weather conditions.
Your home – risk of flooding
There is an increased risk of flooding with severe weather conditions. If your home is in danger of being flooded there are steps you can take to minimise any water damage:
- Turn off mains water, gas and electricity
- Put plugs into sinks/basins and weight them down
- Put a layer of silicone sealant around open doors and windows then shut and lock them
- If possible cover doors, windows and other openings with sandbags or wooden/metal sheeting
- Store any moveable belongings upstairs or away from flood waters
- Raise large objects such as washing machines and furniture onto blocks
- If possible remove internal doors and store upstairs
- Seal important personal documents in a waterproof bag and store away from possible flood waters
- Move your car to higher ground.
To find out whether your home is at risk of flooding and to check for up to date flood warnings you can visit the Environment Agency’s website by clicking on the link below or call their telephone helpline on General enquiries: 03708 506 506
