When a Watch or Warning Is Issued

Check the forecast terms and timelineA Winter Storm Watch means a winter storm is possible in your area, while a Winter Storm Warning means it is occurring or will soon occur, so treat a Warning as your cue to stop prepping and hunker down.
Fill water containers and the bathtub if well water or history of outagesLosing power often means losing water pressure too.
Stock three days of water and food per personAt least three gallons of water per person and at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food per person, including anything that needs no cooking.
Refill prescription medicationsIt's critical to refill prescriptions and have a basic first aid kit ready before the storm, not once you're already low.
Charge phones, power banks, and any medical devicesCharge to full before the storm arrives.
Set the fridge and freezer to their coldest settingSo food stays safe longer if the power goes out.
Bring in firewood or fuel if has fireplace or wood stoveStore a good supply of dry, seasoned wood for your fireplace or wood-burning stove since you may become isolated and regular fuel sources may be cut off.
Test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectorsReady.gov recommends installing and testing smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors with battery backups, and poisoning risk rises in winter from heating and generator use.
Bring pets indoorsBring pets/companion animals inside during winter weather, and move other animals or livestock to sheltered areas with non-frozen drinking water.

Protecting the Pipes

Open cabinet doors under sinks on exterior wallsSo warm air can reach the pipes.
Let faucets drip a thin, steady streamOn exterior-wall plumbing during the coldest stretch; moving water is much less likely to freeze solid.
Disconnect and drain outdoor hosesShut off the water to outside spigots if you have an interior shutoff for them.
Know where your main water shutoff valve isIf a pipe does burst, this is the one thing that stops the flooding fast.
Set a minimum thermostat temperature before you leave home if leaving home brieflySo the house doesn't drop low enough for pipes to freeze while you're out.
Ask a neighbor to check your house if traveling or property empty during storm

Never run a generator, grill, or camp stove indoors or in a garageUse generators outside only, and only use generators and grills outdoors and away from windows, since this is the single most common cause of winter CO deaths.
Never heat your home with a gas oven or stovetopNever heat your home with a gas stovetop or oven.
Set up any space heaters on a hard, level surfaceAway from curtains or bedding, and never leave them running unattended.
Locate flashlights, lanterns, and spare batteriesSomewhere findable in the dark, since you won't want to go hunting once the power's already out.

Stay indoors during the stormStay off roads and stay indoors and dress warmly if you must go out.
Limit time outsideDress in layers if you do go out, and watch for signs of frostbite, including loss of feeling and white or pale appearance in extremities such as fingers, toes, ear lobes, and the tip of the nose.
Pace yourself shoveling snowAvoid overexertion when shoveling snow, which can bring on a heart attack, a major cause of death in the winter.
Change out of wet clothing quicklyKeep dry, and change wet clothing frequently to prevent a loss of body heat, since wet clothing loses all of its insulating value and transmits heat rapidly.
Check on anyone elderly, very young, or medically vulnerableThey're more at risk from both cold and carbon monoxide.
Monitor a battery or hand-crank radio, or your phone, for alertsUseful if power and cell signal are shaky.

Check pipes for leaks once things warm upEspecially in basements, crawl spaces, and exterior walls — a frozen pipe can split without showing it until it thaws.
Shut off the main water valve immediately if you find a burst pipeThen call a plumber before you deal with any cleanup.
Clear vents for your dryer, furnace, and water heaterOf snow or ice so they can exhaust properly.
Restock whatever supplies you usedWater, batteries, medication — before the next storm rolls in, since deep winter rarely means just one.