Snow gets the headlines, but around Greensboro and the rest of the Triad the storm that causes real trouble is usually freezing rain. A quarter inch of ice on tree limbs and power lines is enough to knock out electricity for a day or more. The good news: getting ready takes one afternoon.
1. Light and phone power
Put flashlights where you can find them in the dark and keep spare batteries in the same drawer. A folding solar charger or a small panel and battery setup keeps phones going so you can follow outage updates and road conditions. For travel, the state's DriveNC.gov site shows closures and conditions.
2. Heat safely
Close off rooms you aren't using, hang blankets over drafty doors and dress in layers. Never run a generator, grill or camp stove indoors or in a garage, even with the door open, because carbon monoxide builds up fast. Make sure you have working carbon monoxide and smoke alarms.
Daylight saving time ends on Sunday, November 1, 2026. When you change the clocks, test your smoke and CO alarms too.
3. Fire safety in the kitchen
Candles and improvised cooking raise fire risk during outages. Hang a fire blanket near the stove and keep a second one in the garage or car. They're simpler than an extinguisher for small pan fires: pull the tabs and lay the blanket over the flames.
4. Three days of easy food
Plan on meals that don't need a freezer or long cooking: shelf-stable pouches, microwave or stovetop rice, crackers and juice boxes. If the power is out for more than four hours, keep the fridge closed and eat from the pantry first. A full freezer holds its temperature for about 48 hours if you leave the door shut.
5. Don't forget the pets and birds
Keep a week of pet food on hand and fill the bird feeder before the ice arrives. Birds burn a lot of energy staying warm, and a full feeder helps them get through a hard freeze.