The biggest story so far in 2024 has been the weather. And that’s not changing over the next several days.
After two days of severe weather last week, more rough conditions are in the forecast. Tuesday, January 16, 2024, was predicted to be a rainy one (at the time of this writing, the rain hadn’t come yet). When the rain moves off, temperatures are expected to drop below freezing through next week.
From Wednesday to Monday, lows are predicted to fall into the mid-20s with highs in the high-40s to low-50s. These kinds of temperatures can cause problems for people, homes, and animals. The City of Douglas is opening a warming station at the Douglas Police Department on 225 West Bryan Street. It will open tonight at 7 p.m. and remain open through Friday, January 19, 2024, at 7 a.m.
Other cold weather guidelines center around taking care of the 4 P’s – people, plants, pets, and pipes. People are reminded to dress appropriately and in layers. When outside, take precautions. And check on elderly friends and neighbors.
Regarding pipes, cover or insulate them with cloth. Leave one faucet dripping slowly and turn off sprinklers.
Plants should be covered or brought inside to protect them from the frost. The same goes for pets – bring them inside if possible. If that’s not an option, provide them with a warm, dry place to sleep with plenty of food and water.
Here is one more word of caution: There are more house fires during winter because of the measures people go to in order to stay warm. Please be careful with space heaters, heat lamps, and the like. Keep all flammable materials and furniture a safe distance from the front of heaters and heat lamps. Don’t create a fire hazard in an attempt to stay warm.