What to Do If You're Stuck During a Snowstorm

Being stranded in a car or outdoors during a severe winter storm or blizzard is a dangerous emergency. Extreme windchill, rapid snow accumulation, and freezing temperatures present immediate risks of hypothermia, frostbite, and carbon monoxide poisoning.

Emergency Warning

If you are stranded, injured, or unable to reach shelter safely, call local emergency services immediately. Provide your exact location, battery status, and current condition before your phone battery drains in the cold.

Step by Step Safety Steps

1. Stay inside your vehicle or shelter. Do not leave your vehicle to search for help during a blizzard unless a building is clearly visible nearby. Disorientation occurs rapidly in blowing snow, leading to deadly exposure.
2. Contact emergency responders. Call emergency dispatch. If voice calls fail due to network congestion, attempt to send a text message with your GPS coordinates to an emergency contact.
3. Clear the exhaust pipe. Before running your vehicle's engine for heat, clear away all snow and ice from the tailpipe. A blocked exhaust pipe forces dangerous carbon monoxide gas back into the passenger cabin.
4. Conserve fuel and heat. Run the engine and heater for only 10 minutes every hour. While the engine runs, crack a downwind window slightly to allow fresh air circulation.
5. Make your vehicle visible. Tie a bright red or orange cloth to your radio antenna or window. Turn on your internal dome light at night when the engine is running so search teams can see you.
6. Maintain body heat and circulation. Wrap yourself in extra clothing, blankets, or emergency space blankets. Periodically move your arms, legs, fingers, and toes to promote blood circulation, but avoid overexertion that causes sweating.

What NOT to Do

• Do not walk away from your car into a whiteout. Wandering in heavy snow leads to severe disorientation and extreme risk of freezing.
• Do not leave the engine running continuously. Idling constantly drains your fuel tank rapidly and dramatically increases the risk of toxic gas accumulation inside the vehicle.
• Do not fall asleep while the engine is running. Only sleep when the engine is turned off to prevent inhaling carbon monoxide undetected.
• Do not eat raw snow. Consuming un-melted snow lowers your core body temperature. Melt snow inside the vehicle before drinking if water is needed.

What to Monitor

Monitor all occupants for signs of frostbite (numbness, loss of feeling, or waxy, pale skin on fingers, toes, ears, or nose) and hypothermia (uncontrollable shivering, slurred speech, confusion, or severe exhaustion). If hypothermia is suspected, warm the person's chest, neck, and head first using dry layers or body heat.

This guide provides general survival information and does not replace official emergency instructions. Always call local emergency services during a life-threatening crisis.