Tips to Prepare for Winter Weather
With a winter snow and ice storm watch for Sunday night and Monday, here are tips to prepare.
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With a snow and ice storm forecast for Virginia Highland and Druid Hills for Sunday night and Monday, here are some suggestions:
* Tip #1: Put ice melt or salt on outdoor stairs, driveways and sidewalks before it starts snowing and icing.
Most area hardware stores are sold out of ice melt (salt and magnesium).
- Lowe's Home Improvement on Caroline Street: Sold out of ice melt. Bags of pool salt (salt without magnesium) are in stock as of 1:30 PM Saturday. "They are going fast. We've already sold three pallets of each item, more than 350 bags," a store representative said.
- Intown Ace Hardware, 1405 Scott Blvd. in Decatur has ice melt in stock as of Saturday afternoon.
- Bates Ace Hardware, 1709 Howell Mill Road, has ice melt in stock and will be receiving more this afternoon.
- Home Depot on Ponce De Leon: Sold out.
- UPDATE: Intown ACE Hardware on N. Highland sold out of ice melt around 3 p.m.
* Tip #2: Put large sheets of cardboard on top of the windshield of your car and secure in place with windshield wipers.
The ice will coat the cardboard rather than the glass. This will make it much easier to remove ice. I learned this when I lived up north. Works like a charm!
* Tip #3: Prepare for power outages.
There's a good chance of heavy build up of ice, which can cause tree branches to snap and result in power outages.
Charge your cell phones now. Get flashlights with fresh batteries ready.
Also, be aware of the possibility of electrical hazards.
* Tip #4: Get food, movie rentals, etc now.
Expect that roads will be too hazardous to drive on Sunday night and beyond. Stock your pantry with food that you can prepare without use of electricity.
Will your stove work without electricity? Something to think about now, and prepare for.
In This article
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Ace Hardware
854 N Highland Ave NE, Atlanta, GA -
Intown Ace Hardware
1404 Scott Blvd, Decatur, GA
David Eckoff
3:20 pm on Saturday, January 8, 2011
Update: As of 3:00 PM Saturday, Intown Ace Hardware on N. Highland in Virginia Highland tells me they are SOLD OUT of ice melt.
Kathryn Moore
4:12 pm on Saturday, January 8, 2011
Keep all faucets on a drip overnight to lessen the likelihood of pipes bursting!
David Eckoff
4:51 pm on Saturday, January 8, 2011
Good suggestion, Kathryn! Thank you for sharing it here.
Paul Lanouette
6:28 pm on Saturday, January 8, 2011
Move to NH where we have no snow.
Or at least don't over work yourself shoveling snow.
David Eckoff
8:00 pm on Saturday, January 8, 2011
@paul Haha. Good suggestion about not over working yourself shoveling snow! And I've heard that you might get some snow and ice in New Hampshire on rare occasion in the winter.
Tatum
7:00 pm on Saturday, January 8, 2011
Thanks for the ice melt reminder. I'd hate to have frozen deck stairs cause a broken doggie leg!
David Eckoff
8:01 pm on Saturday, January 8, 2011
@tatum: hello, neighbor! Definitely don't want any broken doggie legs. Or any broken person legs, either! If the streets ice up Sunday night and Monday, be careful out there walking the pooch!
Stephanie Rogers
10:52 am on Sunday, January 9, 2011
It's 10:50am on Sunday. I just called Bates Ace Hardware. They still have a lot of ice melt left but said to come soon because they are very busy.
David Eckoff
12:31 pm on Sunday, January 9, 2011
Stephanie, thanks for sharing that update here!
For anyone who has ever tried to remove ice from outdoor stairs, driveway and sidewalks... you know how much work it is. Treating with ice melt in advance of snow and ice makes the job much easier.
I got a 20-lb bag of ice melt from Ace Hardware in Virginia-Highland yesterday, and will be putting some down early evening before the snow and ice starts.
David Eckoff
3:53 pm on Sunday, January 9, 2011
One of our readers, Elna, emailed to let me know she's trying to find a store that has sleds in stock to purchase. She reports: "I called all of the Ace Hardware stores nearby and all are sold out!"
Do you have a tip for Elna (and other readers) for stores that have sleds in stock? Please your tips here, in the comments section...!
David Eckoff
4:10 pm on Sunday, January 9, 2011
I followed up on Elna's question about sleds:
* I called several nearby Target locations, and none had sleds (Midtown/Atlantic Station; Edgewood; Super Target/Perimeter).
* REI: they do not carry them in-store in Atlanta (only online). They suggested calling Ace Hardware (however, according to Elna's report, Ace Hardware is sold out).
* Toys R Us in Buckhead - After 10 minutes on hold - twice - they don't pick up their phone (how's that for service? Booo!)
Hope that helps!
If you have any suggestions for Elna (and other readers) for stores that have sleds in stock? Please your tips here, in the comments section...!
Holly Dunham
4:43 pm on Sunday, January 9, 2011
Get out your golf shoes (with spikes). I've kept an old pair around for years just for ice storms. Slip them on and voila, easy to walk on the ice!
I don't understand the run on potatoes and onions. Publix at Druid Hills & LaVista yesterday at 6pm had NO potatoes and NO onions and NO bananas. I understand bananas; they're a ready-to-eat food. But an impending ice storm and everyone wants potatoes and onions? I heard one of the forecasters on TWC yesterday joke that onions were a natural ice-melter. Maybe everyone thought she was serious. (Although that still doesn't explain the run on potatoes.)
David Eckoff
5:01 pm on Sunday, January 9, 2011
Hi Holly! Thanks for posting that great tip about golf shoes (with spikes)! Awesome!!
Your story about the run on potatoes and onions is funny. A run on milk and bread in Atlanta, I understand. It's a tradition! But a run on potatoes and onions?!
As for me, I'm getting read to put down some ice melt. And then going to make my world famous chili for dinner! And yes, I make the best chili on the planet! :)
Stay safe in the ice storm!
David Eckoff
8:14 pm on Sunday, January 9, 2011
And right on time, here comes the snow and ice, just started now!
Have any observations from your neck of the woods during the ice storm? Do let us know, right here...!
Virginia
10:55 am on Monday, January 10, 2011
Thanks. I had never heard of ice melt (other than the natural variety, also known as above-freezing temperatures). Too late now but I'll stock up for next time.
David Eckoff
6:47 pm on Monday, January 10, 2011
Hi Virginia! Never too late to make ice removal easier!
A tip from when I lived up north: as soon as temperatures are above freezing tomorrow and the ice starts to melt, clear as much ice as possible from stairs and walk ways. It won't all melt tomorrow but it will melt enough to be able to clear it with a shovel.
Otherwise the ice will stay there all week, as temperatures are forecast to be below freezing most of the rest of the week.
Tomorrow afternoon at about 3pm is the window of opportunity to remove ice as it starts to melt.
But as Paul in previous comment, take it easy with shoveling. It's surprisingly hard work! Don't over do it!
Tarheel Foodie
7:18 pm on Tuesday, January 11, 2011
My favorite is the cardboard on the windshield!