HAMPTON ROADS, Va. (WAVY) — As the temperature continues to get colder and blasts of winter weather sweep through the area, some people may be wondering what options are available, and how to prepare.
From shelters, to car problems and advice to keep warm, we are “On Your Side” with resources and articles.
Staying Healthy
Winter is here, inflicting its usual array of symptoms — coughs, nasal congestion, fatigue and fever — and, this year, a new COVID-19 variant is dominating the scoreboard.
COVID-19 is leading hospital admissions among the respiratory viruses, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Shelters
As the temperatures drop, more people without a place to stay turn to shelters for a warm place to sleep.
“We see an increase of individuals that were OK being outdoors during the milder weather and then trying to get into a shelter,” said Darlene Sparks Washington, executive director of Portsmouth Volunteers for the Homeless.
Local shelters, including Portsmouth Volunteers for the Homeless, work around the clock to make sure people have the cold weather essentials.
Energy Bills
Increases in energy bill rates are often expected, however, Dominion Energy says there are ways to save.
How to Stay Warm
Millions of Americans are being told to dress in layers if they must go outside.
In places that rarely experience bone-chilling temperatures, that advice can be confounding. What does it mean to layer up? Is it different from just putting on a coat? Is there a way to do it wrong?
At the office or at home, space heaters can also help get you through the colder days of winter. But if you are not careful, they can be dangerous too. Virginia Beach fire dealt with at least five fires caused by space heaters last winter.
When it comes to heating units, experts recommend making sure your heater is serviced at least once a year.
“Your unit is running nonstop even when you’re not at home, so at least once a year, if possible twice a year, spring and fall would be ideal,” said Blake Vasti of Guy Smith Heating and Cooling.
For those with heat pumps warming their home, when the temperature drops, “emergency heat” will automatically kick on.
“That’s basically going to be the system’s way of supplementing the heat because it’s too cold outside to bring that heat inside,” Vasti said, “so you’re going to supplement that with the auxiliary heater. If you see that light, it’s nothing outside of the ordinary.”
If you hear a loud clank and see steam rising from your heat pump in freezing temps, that’s completely normal.
“That’s the unit just defrosting itself, making sure it doesn’t ice over,” Vasti said.
Car and Road Problems
Winter weather can be difficult to traverse for many, but the Virginia Department of Transportation is prepared this season.
As temperatures start to rise drivers — and their cars — will have to contend with salt on the roadways, which can cause car damage and rusting.
According to AAA, there’s been an increase in the number of calls about dead batteries as temperatures are falling and people are staying indoors.
With extreme winter weather impacting roads across the country, many electric vehicle drivers have also reported a drop in battery life. AAA found that, when temperatures drop below 20 degrees, the EVs’ driving range could be reduced by 41%. AAA said the HVAC system used to heat a vehicle’s interior is largely to blame.
How long will the cold last?
If you’re sick of winter, there’s some good news in the latest seasonal outlook released Thursday by national forecasters – at least for the residents of all but one state.
The outlooks are created by the Climate Prediction Center, a division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). They give us a glimpse at what broad weather patterns we can expect over the next three months.
According to the outlook, many of the states currently experiencing hard freeze warnings and heavy winter weather could soon be blessed with warmer weather.
Continue to check WAVY.com for updates.
