Sheriff: Stay home and off the roads
MONROE - Green County Sheriff Jeff Skatrud is urging people to stay home Thursday, Dec. 20, especially during afternoon and evening hours when blizzard conditions are expected to make travel dangerous.
"Based upon the most current weather forecast, Green County will be receiving substantial amounts of snow and will be experiencing blizzard conditions most of the day on Thursday," Skatrud said in a news release Wednesday morning. "This will be the third blizzard that we have experienced in the last several years. Our experience with those storms is that there were be a number of hours, despite the outstanding work by our highway department and twnship plow crews that visibility will be so restricted that it will be impossible to drive and some roads will become impassable.
"If people become stranded, we will very likely not be able to get to them until conditions improve."
Skatrud advised people to stock on essentials to carry their family through the next few days, and keep abreast of latest weather conditions.
"If you absolutely have to travel, make sure that others know your route of travel, destination and expected arrival time to that destination. Keep your cell phones charged, your gas tank full and an emergency kit in your vehicle," he wrote, noting that if motorists become stranded, its likely that emergency responders will not be able to get to them for hours.
As of Wednesday morning, the National Weather Service is calling for Green County to receive heavy snow beginning Wednesday night, with 3 to 5 inches of accumulation. More snow, 5 to 8 inches, along with blowing snow is expected during the day Thursday. Chance of snow is 100 percent Wednesday night through Thursday.
Wisconsin Emergency Management advises residents to prepare by getting their vehicles and home ready. It suggests:
n Have an emergency winter weather survival kit in your vehicle. Your kit should include water, snack food such as energy bars or raisins, first aid kit and booster cables. If you have a cell phone make sure you have a power adapter you can plug into the lighter.
n Check the roads and take your time. You may need to delay or cancel travel plans on Thursday. Call 511 or go to www.511wi.gov for the latest road conditions across Wisconsin. You can also go to their website for a regional travel map which covers North and South Dakota, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan, Missouri and Wisconsin. Make sure you plan extra time if you travel. Roads may become icy and snow packed. Also, keep at least a half tank of gas in your vehicle in case of an emergency and let friends and family know where you are traveling to and when you should arrive.
n Get supplies for your home. Make sure your home emergency kit is stocked with food that can be stored and eaten without electricity, in case there is a power outage. Also, make sure you have extra water, flashlights with extra batteries and medications.
n Updated info is available at readywisconsin.wi.gov.