It is a frosty start to winter, but temps are warming up to the 40s for the area per the National Weather Service forecast.

The start of the season is set to reach 47 for the day, but look for some winds up to 10 mph to keep things chilly for Polk County. Expect frost to stick around until 10 a.m. this morning as the sun comes out with clear skies for the day.

Temps are down overnight to 23 on the thermometer, with widespread frost expected after 9 p.m. It’ll remain clear overnight, allowing all the warmth from the day to escape the area.

NWS Peachtree City expects more frost through 10 a.m., and get up to 49 on the day and will be sunny for Sunday heading into the holiday week.

Look for more frost heading into Christmas on Monday and Tuesday mornings, with temps in the 50s for both days, but look for chances of rain to start moving in for the evening hours on Christmas Eve and stick around through Christmas Day.

Chances of showers will remain with temps ranging in the 50s through the day through Christmas and into the the end of the holiday week, with lows down in to the 40s overnight.

Bad news for those hoping for a Hallmark Holiday: No White Christmas is coming for Polk County this year. (Who knows, maybe next?)

As winter begins, here are a few tips to ensure that you don’t have to deal with problems caused by the cold:

Keep heat sources safe

Not everyone has the luxury of central heating and air units in their homes, so a plethora of kerosene and electric heaters are available for sale at stores big and small around the area. When using these heaters, you have two potential problems: carbon monoxide poisoning with the former, and fire dangers for both options.

Kerosene like all fuels derived from oil products comes with the danger of carbon monoxide poisoning as an issue, and so it is always key this time of year to make sure if you are using this as a primary heat source to keep a detector with batteries fully charged in every room of the house.

When airflow is not properly kept up, carbon monoxide can build up within interior spaces and kill those who might be sleeping overnight or unaware of the danger during the day. The real issue for the gas building up comes when proper airflow isn’t kept up, so keep a window cracked or door to avoid the deadly fumes.

Electric heaters and kerosene alike also pose serious fire dangers when (OLDER) electric heaters or kerosene heaters are allowed to be close to ignition sources, dangerous fuels that could aerate and create fumes that could catch fire, or when knocked over due to improper setups (too close to the floor and small children or knock them over unintentionally.)

Most electric heaters made in recent years will have a switch that turns the heater off immediately if knocked over, but older ones won’t. Kerosene heaters additionally are dangerous when knocked over since the fuel can spill and catch fire when used improperly.

PLEASE do not place a heater within 3 feet of something that will burn, and place them if at all possible on a stable, elevated surface that will remain sturdy.

Also, DO NOT PLUG ELECTRIC HEATERS UP TO EXTENSION CORDS, POWER STRIPS OR SURGE PROTECTORS. Electric heaters usually have regulated power sources on their plugs that need to be directly plugged into sockets to avoid issues that could cause breakers to click off or fuses to blow. Melted plugs and cables that are ignition sources of their own for fires are reasons why extension cables and power strips are no-go for use with electric heaters.

So please, avoid a trip to the house this winter by local firefighters and take these tips under real advisement.

Avoiding frozen pipes

Drip, drip, drip is probably a sound pretty common around Polk County in the middle of the night this time of year as freezing temperatures mean the threat of pipes busting and causing real headaches on the home front.

A common way to avoid freezing pipes is leaving a faucet dripping overnight, but these additional tips should help as well:

  • Look into getting foam insulation for pipes under residences that could be directly exposed to the elements. Inexpensive and made of the same basic material as pool noodles, these insulators are easy to install and come in sections to help protect the most vulnerable spaces under homes and for exterior pipes that need to be kept running despite major drops in the the temperature.
  • The most vulnerable spot that can spring a leak thanks to freezing (most likely after a thaw) are spigots on the sides and backs of homes of all sizes across the county. Hardware stores will have a supply available for covers specifically designed to help protect hose connections and prevent future problems.
  • Many homes that have a crawl space built in the past decades should have vents on the exterior, which can allow freezing temps to get under homes and remain for days at a time. These need to be covered as well, and some should have shutters that allow for quick closure to the elements.

Something else to consider while winterizing the home: those small cracks and crevices that happen over time as homes settle. Grab some silicon caulk and get to work filling those holes to help remain as snug as a bug during the cold months to come.

Also, look at weather stripping around doors and windows for those worried about other spots around the home that could be allowing warm air to escape in winter, and trying to cool the outdoors during the summer.

Cold batteries, low tires

If you’re about to travel for the holidays, or just want to make sure you don’t face an avoidable breakdown during cold winter nights ahead, start your focus on three areas: air pressure, antifreeze and battery health.

Make sure to grab the pressure gauge and check the tire pressure before heading out onto the highway ahead of the holidays. It’ll help with both ensuring that your tires don’t have blowouts at high speed, and keeping gas mileage right where it should be.

Check the tire you are using to ensure it is at the right pressure (typically between 32 and 36 psi on most passenger tires, more on truck and SUV tires in some cases depending on size and manufacturer.)

Second, antifreeze matters to keep the engine from freezing up at the wrong time if temps get really chilly out. Open the hood and take a look inside the reservoir and top off levels where necessary. If you aren’t comfortable with auto work, maybe take your vehicle in for a tune-up or oil change service before taking a long trip.

Finally, your vehicle battery will be impacted by the cold. The older it is, the more likely that your battery health is going to deteriorate when temperatures remain below freezing for longer periods of time. Mechanics can provide a report on this, or stop in a auto parts store of your choice and ask if they can test your battery if you are concerned. Also take a look at the cables and the terminals for corrosion or damage. That can also have negative effects on your vehicle’s electrical system.

If you end up needing a jump – red is positive, black is negative on the cable ends. You’ll see a plus sign and minus sign for those missing caps over their batteries.

IN CASE YOU GET STUCK SOMEHOW:

Winter is the worst time to be stuck in a vehicle without assistance, so it is a good idea to keep an emergency kit in the trunk or backseat to avoid real trouble. Bottled water, non-perishable food items, heavy blankets and spare clothing along with things like hot hands, battery-powered hand heaters, a first aid kit should be included in that kit. It could save your life.

Those seeking to get out of icy or muddy conditions during winter might want to add in a good portable shovel and some kitty litter into the mix as well, since both can be used to help dig vehicles out of bad spots.

Leave a comment

Please Login to Comment.