Minnesota winters can be a great time to get out and explore. But winter also presents some hazards to prepare for including extreme cold, snow and ice.
Heavy snow or ice storms can make it hard to get out to get what you need. So it’s a good idea to be prepared to hunker down for a few days and to stay safe when traveling on our roads. See ready.gov's list of what to include in an emergency kit at home and the Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s list of what to include in a winter driving survival kit.
As long as you’re prepared, Minnesota winters are a great time to get out and explore. Remind yourself how to dress for chilly, cold and extremely cold weather with this helpful graphic from weather.gov (PDF).
Learn the signs of hypothermia and frostbite and the avoid, spot, treat approach from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Avoid getting hypothermia or frostbite by dressing properly and knowing who is at greater risk. Know how to spot the signs and symptoms and treat anyone who is experiencing symptoms properly to avoid further risks.
Once you are ready for cold weather, get out and explore. There are many different winter activities to try, from downhill and cross-country skiing to snowshoeing, fat biking and ice skating. Rental options allow you to try out a new winter activity without having to buy equipment. Find options in the Choose to Reuse article on renting winter sports equipment.
Using salt on sidewalks and driveways can help improve safety, but too much salt pollutes water and can harm pets and wildlife. Melting snow and ice carries salt into our lakes, rivers and streams, permanently polluting our water.
Do your part to minimize the impact by following Clean Water Minnesota’s four steps to using sidewalk salt responsibly: