It wasn’t much, but it was white and frozen. The first snow of the season fell on Sunday, November 14, briefly accumulating in the Bluffton area. The Icon offers the following refresher on preparing for winter.

Conditions and alerts

• Weather.gov
• Northwest Ohio road conditions at OhGo.com
• Bluffton Police Alert sign-up at Nixle.com
• Allen County EMA notification sign-up

The Allen County Emergency Management Agency passed along these tips on staying warm and safe from Ready.gov:

Know your storm alert levels 

Winter Storm Warning: Issued when hazardous winter weather is imminent or occurring.

Winter Storm Watch: Alert for the possibility of a blizzard, heavy snow, heavy freezing rain, or heavy sleet.

Winter Weather Advisory: Issued when winter weather will cause significant inconveniences and, if caution is not exercised, could lead to life-threatening situations.

Prepare for Winter Weather

• Learn how to keep pipes from freezing. 
• Install and test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors with battery backups.
•  Gather supplies in case you need to stay home for several days without power. 
• Medications
• Pet needs
• Extra batteries for radios and flashlights. 
• Contact the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) for heating cost assistance.
• Keep your car’s gas tank full and create an emergency kit with jumper cables, sand, flashlight, warm clothes, blankets, bottled water and non-perishable snacks..