It’s an interesting debate among winter drivers: Heavy snow and whiteout conditions? Or sleet and freezing rain?
The greater Cortland area has seen the former a couple of times this winter — that’s bound to happen with the nearly 50 inches of snow it has seen so far this winter.
Now comes sleet and wintry mix portion of the season. The National Weather Service at Binghamton has issued a hazardous weather outlook for Wednesday night and Thursday morning, calling for a wintry mix that can lead to slippery travel Thursday morning.
Expect snow, maybe snow mixed with sleet before 1 a.m., when it turns to freezing rain and sleet until 4 a.m., then rain or freezing rain after 4 a.m. The low will be around 25 with winds gusting up to 30 mph.
Forecasters don’t expect much ice accumulation, so power lines should be OK, but even a little bit on the roads can make them slick.
To that end, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has some advice for traveling in those conditions:
•Check the weather and roads. New York has 511NY, at 511ny.org. It gives real-time road conditions to help you plan the best route.
•Be ready. Keep the gas tank full, make sure headlights and flashing lights work and keep the battery charged in an electric or hybrid-electric vehicle.
•Clear the snow and ice from your car. Visibility is important.
•Use your headlights. Be seen.
•Slow down. And increase your following distance. Instead of three or four seconds, extend to five or six seconds so people can slow more gradually.
•Avoid sudden movements. Jerky turns, quick accelerations or sharp stops can cause you to skid.
•Steer out of a skid. Stay calm and steer in the direction you want to go. Don’t slam on the brakes.
•If you’re stranded. Tie a bright cloth to your antenna or door and use your flashing hazard lights. Run the engine about 10 minutes an hour, but crack the window to let in fresh air.
•Keep an emergency kit: Jumper cables, flares, an ice scraper, shovel, cellphone charger, blankets, cat litter or sand, flashlight and water can all help.
Oh, and remember all this for the weekend. Another storm is on track to arrive, the National Weather Service reports, but it’s too soon yet to tell whether it’s snow (or how much), sleet, a mix or something else.
