The conditions are right for a major ice storm to hit the Emporia area this weekend, according to Matt Miller, chief meteorologist at Channel 49 in Topeka.
“This is not really the best of weekends,” Miller said Thursday night. “It looks like there’s a good 36-hour window of time where we’ll be in the threat area of precipitation.”
Colder conditions will start to fall into place on Friday, with freezing drizzle likely. But from Saturday into Sunday, it’s time to watch for ice.
How much? Good question. If conditions get a little better, the area might see no worse than some ice on the roads. But if temperatures stay low, it could be bad. This could be the kind of storm, Miller says, that breaks tree branches and brings down power lines.
“The only hope is not that it will miss us, but that it will break the freezing point,” Miller said.
With the chance of power outages, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment offers these tips to prepare for and handle an outage:
• Prepare by having a refrigerator thermometer, knowing where to get dry ice and stocking a few days’ worth of ready-to-eat, shelf-stable or canned food that do not require cooking or cooling.
• If power goes out, keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible. The refrigerator will keep food cold for about 4-6 hours if it is unopened. Refrigerated foods should be kept at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below.
• Once power comes back, check the temperature in the refrigerator. If the appliance thermometer reads 40 degrees or below, the food is safe and may be kept refrigerated. It is safe to refreeze the food, but the quality and flavor of the food may be affected.
• If a thermometer has not been kept in the unit, check each package of food to determine its safety. You can’t rely on appearance or odor. If the food still contains ice crystals or is 40 degrees or below, it is safe to refreeze or cook and use.
• Discard any perishable food (such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs or leftovers) that has been above 40F for two hours or more.
The storm is in line to hit areas along the turnpike and northwest of Emporia, Miller said, but areas to the southeast could be bypassed.
Chances of snow are minor, which Miller said was unfortunate.
“I’d rather have a little snow on top of the ice than pure ice,” he said.