Winter weather in Alaska can bring tremendous snow, wind and deep cold. Temperatures in the Mat-Su Borough have reached -40F and stayed there for weeks. Occasionally weather is so bad that food supplies barged into the Port of Anchorage have been frozen out by sea ice or winter storms.

You can prepare by:

• Keep at least two weeks worth of extra food on hand.
• Know that deep cold, combined with wind, can kill quickly.
• Realize most propane and natural gas furnaces are electrically ignited. That means if there is no power, the furnace won’t work. Have a back-up heating plan, and know you may have to rely on it for a week or more. (See Power Outage).
• Install an auxiliary heat source such as a wood stove available. Be sure to stock up at least two weeks worth of fuel for your heat source.
• Always keep your vehicle at least ¾ full. In cold weather this helps prevent water from developing in the gas tank.
• Have proper cold weather clothing on when going outside or traveling.
• Keep a winter vehicle kit in your car:
• Shovel & sand
• Spare tire, tire wrench, jumper cables, and flares
• Extra winter clothing
• Hand warmers, blankets
• Granola bars or small food which can freeze
• Flashlight which cranks or regular with spare batteries.
• Extra cell phone batteries.