States put together for enormous winter storm
FOX Weather meteorologist Bayne Froney joins ‘America’s Newsroom’ in Dallas, Texas as the primary indicators of an enormous winter storm start to point out. Texas is making ready accordingly following the devastating winter storm 5 years in the past.
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Weather forecasters are warning {that a} main winter storm is anticipated to influence massive parts of the United States beginning Friday. Forecasts name for snow, freezing rain and ice stretching from Texas and the Southern Plains via the Southeast, Mid-Atlantic and into the Northeast. This system is regarding as a result of it combines ice accumulation, gusty winds and plunging temperatures. In many areas, particularly throughout the South and elements of the Mid-Atlantic, infrastructure shouldn’t be designed to deal with extended ice occasions.
That will increase the danger of prolonged energy outages and disrupted cell service. When the grid goes down, on a regular basis tech turns into vital. Phones, alerts, automobiles and apps could also be your solely connection to updates and emergency assist. Preparing now issues way over reacting later.
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RUSSIAN WINTER STRIKE LEAVES NEARLY 800K HOMES WITHOUT POWER AND HEAT IN UKRAINE’S DNIPRO REGION
Ice storms can take down energy strains quick, leaving properties with out electrical energy and cell service for hours and even days. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Why ice storms are particularly disruptive
Ice storms trigger extra harm than most individuals count on. Unlike snow, ice sticks to every thing and provides vital weight. Ice builds up on bushes and energy strains, inflicting branches to snap and contours to fall. Utility crews usually can not start repairs till situations enhance, which delays restoration. Forecasters at Fox Weather warn that freezing rain throughout the South and inside Southeast might be significantly damaging, whereas snow and wind farther north could gradual emergency response.
Even if cell towers stay standing, networks usually overload throughout extreme climate. When hundreds of individuals attempt to name without delay, connections fail. Texts and alerts normally have a greater probability of getting via. That is why it is best to assume you might be offline longer than anticipated.
Immediate tech actions to take earlier than the storm hits
These steps are easy, however timing issues. Do them earlier than the climate situations worsen.
Charge gadgets and put together backup energy
- Charge all telephones, laptops, tablets and battery packs
- Fully cost wearable gadgets like smartwatches
- Turn on Low Power Mode on telephones now
- Lower display brightness to increase battery life, and verify out these different tricks to preserve your telephone battery charged longer
- Make positive you’ve a dependable transportable charger available, like these highlighted in our 5 finest transportable chargers for emergencies on Cyberguy.com
- For outages that would final days on this winter storm, a very good generator can preserve your dwelling powered the longest and most secure
- Reliable lighting issues throughout storms and blackouts. Invest in a high-output flashlight and hats with built-in lights that can be particularly helpful when visibility is poor
- Keep a battery-powered climate radio available so that you can obtain emergency updates even when energy and cell service go out
A completely charged telephone, sensible energy settings and a dependable transportable charger can preserve you related early in an outage whereas longer-term dwelling energy options carry you thru the times forward.
A girl walks with an umbrella within the rain within the Manhattan borough of New York, Feb. 5, 2014. (REUTERS/Carlo Allegri)
Plan for offline communication and restricted cell service
- Download offline maps for your space.
- Save emergency contacts regionally on your system.
- Write down key telephone numbers on paper.
- Plan to textual content as an alternative of calling if networks are congested. Text messages use much less bandwidth and infrequently undergo when calls fail.
- Cold climate can additionally make telephones tougher to make use of. Touchscreen-compatible winter gloves allow you to keep related with out exposing your palms to the chilly.
Set up a household check-in plan earlier than the storm
- Agree on particular check-in instances
- Choose one out-of-area contact everybody can message
- Avoid fixed calling, which can overload networks
Clear expectations cut back panic and pointless telephone use
Make positive emergency alerts are enabled
Emergency alerts can attain your telephone even when apps and social media can not. They are designed to chop via community congestion and ship vital warnings.
How to activate emergency alerts on iPhone
- Open Settings
- Tap Notifications
- Scroll to Government Alerts
- Turn on Emergency Alerts
- Enable Always Play Sound
- Turn on Imminent Threat Alerts beneath Enhanced Safety Alerts
US POWER CRUNCH LOOMS AS OKLO CEO SAYS GRID CAN’T KEEP UP WITHOUT NEW INVESTMENT
Ice storms add heavy weight to bushes and energy strains, inflicting widespread harm and outages that can overwhelm restore crews and communication networks for longer than anticipated. (AP/Craig Ruttle)
How to activate emergency alerts on Android
Settings could fluctuate, relying on your Android telephone’s producer
- Open Settings
- Tap Safety and emergency or Notifications
- Select Wireless emergency alerts
- Turn on Severe threats and Extreme threats
- Enable Allow alerts and Alert sound
On some telephones, you might also see choices for Public security messages or Emergency alerts, which must be turned on. These alerts could embrace evacuation notices, shelter updates and extreme climate warnings.
Both iPhone and Android allow you to preview alert sounds and settings in these menus, so take a second to check them now and ensure alerts are loud sufficient earlier than extreme climate hits.
Know how one can use Emergency SOS on your telephone
If you need assistance throughout a winter storm, Emergency SOS can contact emergency providers even if you can not unlock your telephone or make a traditional name. Set this up now. Do not wait till you’re harassed, chilly or with out energy.
How to arrange and use Emergency SOS on iPhone
- Open Settings
- Tap Emergency SOS
- Turn on Call with Hold and Release or Call with 5 Button Presses
- Scroll down and add emergency contacts
To activate Emergency SOS throughout an emergency, press and maintain the facet button and a quantity button, or shortly press the facet button 5 instances, relying on your settings.
How to arrange and use Emergency SOS on Android
Settings could fluctuate, relying on your Android telephone’s producer
- Open Settings
- Tap Safety and emergency or Privacy and security
- Select Emergency SOS
- Turn on Use Emergency SOS
- Choose how SOS is triggered, equivalent to Require to swipe to name
- Add emergency contacts and medical data by clicking Emergency sharing settings
On many Android telephones, urgent the ability button 5 instances will set off Emergency SOS. Emergency SOS can name for assist, share your location and alert emergency contacts when situations are harmful.
If cell towers go down throughout this storm, options like Emergency SOS can nonetheless provide help to attain emergency providers. Our information explains in additional element how these lifesaving settings work.
Apps it is best to have put in forward of time
The proper apps can ship vital updates when energy is out, cell networks are strained and social media is unreliable. Install and set these up earlier than the storm arrives.
Weather and extreme alert apps
- Fox Weather app: A trusted choice for real-time forecasts, winter storm alerts, radar monitoring and location-based notifications. Make positive native alerts are turned on.
- MyRadar Weather Radar: A extremely rated radar app that reveals storm motion in actual time and sends push alerts when extreme climate is approaching your space.
- Storm Shield Severe Weather App: Delivers National Weather Service alerts primarily based on your actual location, just like NOAA climate radio warnings, with clear push notifications for winter storms and ice occasions.
- NOAA Weather Radio apps (iPhone and Android): These apps stream official NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts, offering steady updates, watches and warnings straight from the National Weather Service. Weather radio streams usually stay obtainable even throughout main outages.
Using multiple climate app can provide you with redundancy if one service is delayed or overloaded.
Utility and outage monitoring apps
- Your native energy utility app: Most utilities supply apps that help you report outages, view outage maps and monitor restoration progress in actual time.
- FEMA App: Provides official climate alerts, catastrophe sources, shelter places and security steering throughout extreme climate occasions.
These apps can verify outages, present restoration updates and cut back pointless calls to utilities when programs are overwhelmed.
Do not overlook car tech and preparedness
Your car could turn into a vital useful resource throughout prolonged outages.
Prep your automobile earlier than situations worsen
- Fill your gasoline tank early. A full tank permits you to run the engine briefly for warmth or charging if wanted.
- Keep a telephone charger within the automobile.
- Store a completely charged transportable energy financial institution within the glove field or heart console. This offers you emergency telephone energy if your automobile battery dies otherwise you can not run the engine.
- Download climate and highway situation alerts.
- Also, take into account shopping for a Snow brush and ice scraper, jumper cables, a set of 6 LED Road Flares Emergency Lights and a First Aid Trauma Pack with QuikCloth, so you’ll not be caught off guard in an emergency.
- There are additionally transportable tech options designed that can assist you keep heat and powered throughout outages or roadside delays, together with heated gear price buying prematurely.
Storms additionally deliver scams and fraud makes an attempt
Severe climate creates superb situations for scams. Power outages, delayed responses and nervousness make folks extra prone to belief messages that seem pressing or official.
Fake utility and restoration scams
Scammers usually impersonate electrical, gasoline or water utilities.
- Texts or calls claiming your energy will probably be restored sooner should you pay
- Messages warning service will probably be shut off until you act instantly
- Spoofed telephone numbers that appear like your native utility
What to know: Utilities don’t cost charges to revive energy and don’t demand fee by textual content, present playing cards or apps.
Emergency support and catastrophe aid scams
These scams spike proper after storms hit.
- Messages promising emergency funds, gasoline vouchers or resort help
- Fake charity hyperlinks claiming to assist storm victims
- Social media posts asking for donations utilizing stolen photos
What to know: Legitimate support is introduced via official authorities or well-known nonprofit channels, not unsolicited messages.
Fake supply, gasoline and restore service scams
Storms disrupt regular providers, which scammers exploit.
- Links claiming gasoline supply is accessible in your space
- Messages about delayed packages that require affirmation
- Ads for emergency dwelling repairs that ask for upfront fee
What to know: Do not click on hyperlinks or pay deposits with out verifying the corporate independently.
Charging your gadgets and lining up backup energy now can make the distinction between staying knowledgeable throughout an outage and being lower off as soon as the storm hits. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
Account takeover and id theft makes an attempt
Storm chaos makes it simpler for attackers to slide via unnoticed.
- Password reset emails pretending to be from banks or retailers
- Login alerts asking you to “secure” your account instantly
- Calls claiming suspicious exercise that push you to share codes
What to know: Never share one-time codes or login particulars, even when the message seems to be professional.
How to guard your self earlier than and throughout the storm
Taking a couple of precautions now can provide help to keep away from expensive errors when outages, delays and rip-off messages begin piling up.
1) Slow down and confirm each pressing message
Scammers depend on panic. If a message pressures you to behave quick, cease and confirm it via a trusted supply.
2) Avoid clicking hyperlinks in unsolicited messages and use sturdy antivirus software program
Go on to official web sites or apps as an alternative of tapping hyperlinks in texts or emails. Keep your working system updated, and use sturdy antivirus software program to dam malicious hyperlinks and faux web sites.
The finest technique to safeguard your self from malicious hyperlinks that set up malware, doubtlessly accessing your non-public data, is to have sturdy antivirus software program put in on all your gadgets. This safety can additionally provide you with a warning to phishing emails and ransomware scams, conserving your private data and digital property secure.
Get my picks for the perfect 2026 antivirus safety winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS gadgets at Cyberguy.com.
3) Lock down accounts earlier than outages hit
Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on electronic mail, banking, and utility accounts so stolen passwords can’t be used alone.
4) Reduce your publicity with an information elimination service
Many storm scams work as a result of criminals have already got your telephone quantity, handle or electronic mail. Using an information elimination service to choose out of knowledge dealer websites can cut back how simply scammers goal you throughout emergencies.
While no service can assure the whole elimination of your knowledge from the web, an information elimination service is mostly a sensible selection. They aren’t low cost, and neither is your privateness. These providers do all of the be just right for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your private data from lots of of internet sites. It’s what offers me peace of thoughts and has confirmed to be the best technique to erase your private knowledge from the web. By limiting the knowledge obtainable, you cut back the danger of scammers cross-referencing knowledge from breaches with data they may discover on the darkish net, making it tougher for them to focus on you.
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5) Never pay to revive energy or obtain support
Utilities and authorities companies don’t cost charges to revive service or launch emergency help.
When energy and web entry are restricted, it’s tougher to confirm messages shortly. That makes preparation simply as vital as consciousness. Somewhat skepticism now can forestall monetary loss and id theft when assistance is hardest to achieve.
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Kurt’s key takeaways
Winter storms can flip small tech selections into vital ones. Ice, energy outages and overloaded cell networks can depart folks lower off quicker than anticipated, particularly in areas not constructed for extended winter climate. Preparing your gadgets, alerts, automobiles and accounts forward of time offers you extra management when situations worsen. It additionally reduces panic and limits your publicity to scams that thrive throughout emergencies. Somewhat planning now can make an enormous distinction when assistance is tougher to achieve.
Have you taken steps to organize your tech for this winter storm, or did this guidelines spotlight one thing you continue to must do? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.
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Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of know-how, gear and devices that make life higher together with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business starting mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech query? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a narrative concept or remark at CyberGuy.com.
