Cold temperatures and possible snow are headed this way over the weekend. The US National Weather Service currently forecasts snow developing across the southern Appalachians late Saturday into Sunday. Significant snow accumulations are possible, especially across the northern mountains and higher elevations above 3500 feet. Uncertainty remains regarding exact snowfall totals.
As the National Weather Service is calling this a “complex and evolving forecast”, the City of Asheville has already taken steps to prepare – with teams, shifts and equipment on standby to hit the streets in case of snow or other potential weather related impacts.
Information regarding impacts to City provided services or events will be updated on City of Asheville website and social media.
The Public Works Sanitation Division and Transit (ART) will continue to monitor the situation throughout the weekend. Sanitation will make adjustments to waste collection schedules if needed for Monday morning. Any potential ART impacts will be listed on City of Asheville social media and website updates.
Sign up for Sanitation alerts regarding schedule changes, delays, or cancellations at ashevillenc.gov/AVLcollects
AVL ALERT: SIGN UP TODAY
The AVL Alert system currently remains the most direct way to get accurate and relevant information from the City of Asheville. AVL Alert is an emergency and non-emergency notification system. This system enables the City of Asheville to provide you with the information that you want to receive via the communication methods that you choose. By enrolling in the system you are automatically subscribed to emergency alerts. During the registration process you will have the opportunity to choose from a number of non-emergency subscriptions. At any time you can login to the system and change your contact information and opt-in/out of subscriptions.
Signing up is easy – and you can choose for alerts to be delivered to you via Email, Text, Mobile or Landline.
Sign up for the type of alerts you want – and for the locations important to you.
- Your home
- Your apartment (yes, individual apartment owners can get notifications )
- Your business
- Your school
Here are some tips and tricks that can help prepare you, your family and your property.
People
Avoiding frostbite and hypothermia
In cold temperatures, your body begins to lose heat faster than it can be produced, which can lead to hypothermia. Follow these tips to avoid and treat hypothermia:
- Stay indoors. If you must go outside, dress properly and know who is at high risk for hypothermia or frostbite.This includes the elderly, very young children and those who must work outside. *(Although children, older people, and those with circulatory problems are at greater risk for frostbite, most cases happen in adults between 30 and 49.)
- Dress appropriately. If you must go outside make sure to wear the appropriate clothing and dress in layers.
- Cover body parts most often affected by frostbite with dry clothing. This includes nose, ears, toes, cheeks, chin, and fingers.
If a person is experiencing hypothermia or frostbite
- Seek medical attention as soon as possible.
- Get to a warm room or shelter.
- Remove any wet clothing.
- Get warm under dry layers of blankets and clothing.
- Place areas affected by frostbite in warm-to-touch water
For additional information regarding how to avoid and treat hypothermia please go to the Center for Disease Control website.
Houseless persons resources
The City of Asheville works in partnership with the Asheville Homeless Coalition to assist those experiencing shelter insecurity. Through the Code Purple system, the Coalition provides shelter and transit to our community’s most vulnerable. You can find resources to help houseless persons in severe weather conditions on the City of Asheville website. Watch City of Asheville and partner social media channels for notification of dates when Code Purple is in effect.
Pets
Outside pets are among the most vulnerable during extremely cold weather. Please bring them inside and provide shelter. Here are some tips from the Humane Society to keep them safe.
- Keep pets sheltered. Keep your pets inside with you and your family. Under no circumstances should pet cats be left outdoors, even if they roam outside during other seasons. Dogs are happiest when taken out frequently for walks and exercise, but kept inside the rest of the time. Don’t leave pets outdoors when the temperature drops.
- Bundle up. No matter what the temperature is, wind chills can threaten a pet’s life. Exposed skin on noses, ears and paw pads are at risk for frostbite and hypothermia during extreme cold snaps.
- Remove common poisons. Antifreeze is a deadly poison, but it has a sweet taste that may attract animals. Dogs are at particular risk of salt poisoning in winter due to the rock salt used in many areas—often when licking it from their paws after a walk.
- Protect outdoor animals. There are outdoor cats, either owned pets or community cats in your area, remember that they need protection from the elements as well as food and water.
- Speak out. If you encounter a pet left in the cold, politely let the owner know you’re concerned. Some people genuinely don’t know the risk that cold weather poses to their pets or livestock and will be quick to correct any problems you address.
Pipes
The Asheville Water Resources Department urges everyone to take precautions to protect their pipes from freezing.
Preventing frozen pipes
- Disconnect and drain all garden hoses and install covers on outside faucets.
- Keep garage doors closed.
- Open cabinet doors. Opening kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors allows warmer air to circulate around the plumbing.
- Identify water valve locations. Learning the location of these valves may come in handy during an emergency.
- Insulate pipes. Wrap pipes nearest exterior walls and in crawl spaces with pipe insulation or heating tape. This will prevent freezing, especially for interior pipes that run along outside walls.
- Regulate indoor temperature day and night. Keep the thermostat set to the same temperature both during the day and at night. By temporarily suspending the use of lower nighttime temperatures, you may incur a higher heating bill, but you can prevent a much more costly repair job if pipes freeze and burst.
- Close windows and cover vents. Close all windows near water pipes; cover or close open-air vents. Freezing temperatures combined with drafts of cold air can cause pipes to freeze more frequently.
- Keep water moving at a slow drip if insulation and other suggested tips are not applicable to the situation and extreme cold weather is forecasted (<32℉ day and night).
If a faucet or pipe inside your house freezes
- Start at the faucet. When thawing a pipe, start thawing it nearest to the faucet. Make sure the faucet is turned on so that melted water can drip out.
- Use the proper tools. Pipes can be thawed by using a good hair dryer or heat water on the stove, soak towels in the hot water and wrap them around cold sections of the pipes. (For safety purposes, avoid operating a hair dryer around standing water.) Never try to thaw frozen pipes with torches or other means using extreme heat or flame. If heated too quickly waterlines can explode and cause serious injury
- When to shut off water. If a pipe bursts, shut off water at the main valve. If the break is in a hot water pipe, the valve on top of the water heater should be closed. Call a plumber. Keep an emergency number nearby for quick access.
- If your meter is frozen. If you believe that the water meter is frozen, contact the Water Department by calling (828) 251-1122. A Meter Technician will check to ensure that water is coming through the meter. All pipes and plumbing on the house side of the meter are considered private, and are the customer’s responsibility.
- In an emergency, however, the Water Resources Department is available 24/7. The City does not assist customers with indoor plumbing issues but can cut off the water source to help mitigate the situation if a break occurs. Should you need assistance, call the City’s Customer Service number at 828-251-1122.