The National Weather Service in Des Moines reports a potential winter storm may impact the state Saturday night into Sunday night. Officials say “At this time, confidence is increasing that this system will impact central and southern Iowa with the potential for moderate snowfall and strong winds.”  If you have travel plans from Saturday night through Sunday night, please monitor the weather forecast very closely. This system, according to the Weather Service, may cause significant travel impacts during this time period. Have alternate travel plans in place, and if you must travel, have a full tank of gas in your vehicle, and keep a winter weather survival kit in your vehicle.

The kit should include: A cell phone charger; 1st aid kit; jumper cables; a spare tire; road flares; sand or kitty litter for traction; a tow rope; blankets; snow shovel and brush; a flashlight; hats, mittens and snow boots; water and snacks.

If you must drive during a storm, take the following precautions:

• Slow down!Even if the roads just look wet they could still be slick. More than 6,000 fatalities occur on the roadways each year due to weather conditions.
• Make sure your vehicle is completely clear of ice or snow before starting the trip. Flying snow from cars causes accidents.
• Let someone know where you are going and what route you will take. If something happens, this person will know where to start a search.
• If you are driving and begin to skid, remain calm, ease your foot off the gas and turn your wheels in the direction you want the front of the car to go. If you have an anti-lock braking system (ABS), apply steady pressure to the brake pedal. Never pump the brakes on an ABS equipped vehicle.
• If you are having trouble seeing due to weather conditions, pull over to the side of the road and stop your car until visibility improves. Turn off your lights and use your parking break when stopped so that another car won’t mistakenly follow your tail/brake lights and end up hitting you.

If your car gets stuck during a storm:

• Stay in the vehicle!If you leave your vehicle, you will become disoriented quickly in wind-driven snow and cold.
• Run the motor about 10 minutes each hour for heat. While running the motor, open the window a little for fresh air to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Clear snow from the exhaust pipe to avoid gas poisoning.
• Be visible to rescuers.Turn on the dome light at night when running the engine.
• Tie a bright colored cloth, preferably red, to your antenna or door.
• After snow stops falling, raise the hood to indicate you need help.