Much of the southern U.S. is bracing for significant snowfall and frigid temperatures this week. Weather warnings and watches extend throughout the region, including northern Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Georgia, where several inches of snow could fall. The second major winter storm of 2025 is expected to bring snow and freezing rain to places that don't often deal with wintry weather.
This latest winter blast comes after a storm blew through much of the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic earlier this week, in some places dropping more snow than residents had seen in years. While some celebrated the flurries, the storm also disrupted travel, caused power outages and posed major hazards for those in its path.
Winter storms are dangerous. And preparing for them can be intimidating, particularly for communities that aren't used to it.
Brandon Thorne, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Shreveport, La., said his office is forecasting several inches of snow for parts of Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. It's the kind of winter storm that might come once a year, Thorne said. But people often aren't prepared, and many communities don't have equipment like snowplows to clear roads.
"Things shut down for multiple days if there's any kind of ice on the road," he said. "It becomes more of a hazard because we're just not built for that kind of stuff."
But further north, for places like New Hampshire, where it snows dozens of inches every year, dealing with squalls and slippery sidewalks is a way of life.
"It's just common sense for us up here," said Shane Beattie, the emergency management director for the town of Lancaster, N.H. One fond childhood memory was a historic blizzard in 1978 that dropped more than a foot of snow and shut down school.
But to enjoy the snow, you have to stay safe. We asked people in New Hampshire for advice on how to get ready for winter storms, starting with staying warm.
Staying warm
"It's all about layers," Beattie said.
His favorite is a pair of wool socks. Hats and mittens are important, too, he said. Proper footwear, like boots with good soles, is also important to stay safe when walking outside in snowy and icy conditions. For those who want more stability, spikes or treads that attach to the bottom of shoes can be a good option.
Wearing several layers of loose-fitting clothing will keep you warmer than wearing one heavy coat. And keeping a scarf over your mouth can help protect your lungs from cold air.
Mike Carmon has spent more than a decade dealing with extreme winter weather while working at the Mount Washington Observatory on the summit of Mount Washington, which claims to have the world's worst weather. Carmon and his team are responsible for recording information about that weather, and that means experiencing it themselves.
It's common for temperatures at the Observatory to be in the single digits for much of the winter, and hurricane-force winds are expected every other day. The summit of the mountain gets about 280 inches of snow, hail and ice each year.
When Carmon has to take a trip outside to take a look at weather equipment, he said his layering system involves three parts: a base layer near your skin, an insulating fleece layer, and a waterproof outer layer that can protect from snow, rain and wind.
"It kind of gives you all the protection you need from all the different hazards that you'll find in the cold and snow," he said. "If you get too warm, you can take one off."
Carmon's also careful to make sure he doesn't have any bare skin showing to protect from wind and freezing temperatures. Sometimes, weather observers will check each other to make sure they're fully covered before going outside.
"If you're out there in the elements for even 10 or 15 minutes, that can lead to some frostnip or frostbite," he said.
Learn how to spot and treat frostbite and hypothermia with this guide from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Staying safe at home
You're safest at home during a storm, said Vanessa Palange, community outreach coordinator for New Hampshire's Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.
Palange has been through her fair share of winter storms in New Hampshire and Maine. She was once stuck with no power for two weeks after an ice storm in 1998. She had heat from a wood stove, but no way to cook or shower.
"You learn what you can live through," she said. "Because I've been through it, I feel like I definitely have ways to be able to navigate it."
Palange said she went to other people's homes to use their showers and relied on water from a backyard pond to flush toilets.
To prepare for potentially losing power, it's good to have flashlights and extra batteries on hand. That's safer than using candles, which can start fires, Palange said.
Stock up on extra blankets, warm clothes, water and food — especially things that aren't perishable and don't require heating up. If you're getting cans, make sure you have a manual can opener. It's good to have enough food on hand for about three days, Palange said.
It's also worth having a shovel around. Sidewalk salt is a staple in many New England homes, and having some that's pet-friendly can help keep dogs' paws happy.
If you lose heat at home, you can see if there are any warming centers open in your community. Calling 2-1-1 is free and can connect you to services throughout most of the country. Check on your neighbors and friends, too.
"If you're without power and it's cold, you can close off rooms in your house that you're not using by hanging blankets," Palange said.
Heating equipment is one of the leading causes of fire deaths in homes, according to the National Fire Protection Association, and space heaters are especially dangerous. It's not safe to use an oven as a heating source.
If you're using a generator, make sure you're only running it outdoors and away from doors, windows and vents. That helps protect against carbon monoxide poisoning.
For those who are unable to find a safe place to stay inside, the National Health Care for the Homeless Council has tips on how to stay safe if you must be outdoors during severe weather.
Avoid driving in a winter storm if you can
"If you're not used to driving in snow, don't," said James Langdon, who manages roads and snow plowing for Jackson, N.H. "If you get stranded, you become a road hazard."
It doesn't take much snow to make a road slick, he said, and ice can be even more dangerous. Drivers in states that get a lot of snow often have winter tires or snow chains, which add extra traction. Without those, driving can be especially hazardous.
If you have to drive, stay on main roads and try to travel when it's light out. Remember that roads will be slippery. It will take more time to slow down and stop. So it's good to leave extra room between you and other vehicles.
"Take it slow and steady," Langdon said. "You're not going to beat Mother Nature."
If there's a snow squall – a period of blowing snow that makes it hard to see – officials say it's best to pull over and wait for it to pass.
If you get stranded in your car during a blizzard, put your hazard lights on. New Hampshire officials advise putting a distress flag in your window or on your antenna and staying put unless you can see a building where you know you can take shelter. To protect from carbon monoxide poisoning, clear snow from your exhaust pipe and run the engine just enough to keep the car warm, or about 10 minutes every hour.
It's good to have an emergency kit in your car. That could include a small snow shovel, jumper cables, a flashlight, blankets and extra clothes, chargers for cell phones, water, food, a tow rope, a spare tire and a first aid kit. Fill up your gas tank, too.
A bag of sand or kitty litter is also helpful because it can weigh the vehicle down, making it easier to drive in the snow. Plus, if you get stuck, you can sprinkle it on the ground to help with traction.
Several states, including New Hampshire, have laws requiring drivers to clear snow off their cars before getting on the road. A long ice scraper designed for clearing cars is wonderful – but a clean broom to brush off loose flurries and an old gift card to scrape off ice work in a pinch, too.
Pro tip: heat up the car while you're clearing snow, and the ice will melt before you have to scrape.
If it's safe, have some fun
It's a good idea to have some kind of entertainment ready if you're stuck indoors. Cards, books, or board games can help keep kids (and adults!) from catching cabin fever.
Beattie, the emergency management director from Lancaster, N.H., said his favorite thing to do on a snowy day is to go sledding. If you don't have a sled, a piece of cardboard can work well.
But, he said, there are also slower ways to appreciate the winter weather.
"Even just going for a walk in the snow. It's quiet, you know. The snow deafens the sound of the hustle and bustle," he said.
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