How To Prepare For A Blizzard – Part 2
Blizzards are severe winter storms that combine snow and winds gushing at a very high speed. During the storm, there is low visibility and driving around is really very difficult. You should make necessary preparations if there is an imminent blizzard weather warning. Blizzards can cause serious damages like disrupting the emergency services, loss of power, closure of roads, stranded motorists, and accidents.
How To Prepare For A Blizzard?
It’s always helpful to have a handy checklist to make the arrangements without missing anything.
Some critical items that can help you during the storm are:
1. Shovels Or A Snowblower:
Once the storm settles and you want to step out of your premises, you need to shovel away the snow to make your way. If you have a snowblower, make sure it’s filled with gas and functioning properly.
2. Deicers:
To make sure that freshly fallen snow doesn’t convert into a treacherous layer of slippery ice, you have to spread ice melt on the sidewalks, parking lots, in front of the stores, or residential apartments. While selecting the ice melt make sure you are not going with a chloride-based ice melt like rock salt. These chloride-based salts can cause severe damage to your concrete, corrodes plant & machinery, contaminates the water, destroys the nearby plantation, and are very harmful to pets and kids if it gets ingested by them.
So what you should use instead? Go with organic salt-free deicer. There are environmentally friendly deicers that are effective at very low temperatures and are safe to use.
However, ice melt takes time to work and melt the ice layer. If you need immediate traction on the ice surface to provide a safe walking path to your customers or residents, you should go with natural traction agents. Traction Magic is one such natural traction agent that absorbs excess water from the ice layer and increases the friction to walk safely on ice. There are other traction agents in the market like sand, kitty litter, or sawdust to choose from.
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3. An Emergency Radio and Extra Batteries:
Prepare for a blizzard by getting an emergency radio and extra batteries. Radios are readily available and will keep you updated on weather alerts even in the case of power outages.
4. Car Safety Kit:
Traveling during a blizzard is not advisable, but if you must, it’s important to have a car safety kit in your car. This kit should include items like extra blankets and warm clothing, a flashlight, a shovel, a windshield scraper, water, and snacks. Get your car winterized in case you need to be out during the storm.
Also, use winter tires while driving to get better traction on the road. Traction agents like Traction Magic can also provide the required traction for your car if it gets stuck in the snow. You can simply rub the granules on the tire surface for some extra traction.
Prepare for Black Ice Roads During Blizzards
Blizzards aren’t just about snowdrifts and biting winds—they often leave behind a more deceptive threat: black ice roads. If you’ve ever wondered what is black ice, it’s a thin, transparent sheet of ice that forms when melted snow refreezes. You can’t always see it, especially at night or early morning, which is exactly what makes it so dangerous. Unlike visibly frosted pavement, black ice doesn’t glitter or signal danger. It looks like regular road surface—until your tires or boots betray you.
One of the most important parts of blizzard prep is recognizing what temperature black ice forms. The danger zone is around 32°F (0°C) or just below it—cold enough for melted snow to refreeze but warm enough for daytime melting to still occur. As the sun sets, those wet patches harden silently into slick sheets. This is why treating surfaces before and after a storm is essential.
To reduce your risk of encountering black ice, don’t rely solely on ice melt. As the storm dies down and surfaces begin to freeze again, having traction tools ready—like Traction Magic—can save you from sudden slips. When black ice appears, it’s too late to wait for deicers to work. You need grip now. That’s where natural traction agents shine. They work on contact, making them ideal for unpredictable ice formation.
How Is Black Ice Road Formed, and Why It Matters for Road Safety
Understanding how black ice is formed or what temperature does black ice form is key to navigating winter roads safely. It typically forms in shaded areas, bridges, and low-traffic zones where the surface cools faster than its surroundings. Snowmelt, freezing rain, or even fog can create just enough moisture to freeze upon contact with cold pavement. This quick refreeze is how black ice stealthily claims control of the road.
For drivers, this is especially treacherous. Even with winter tires, encountering a black ice road can lead to sudden skidding and loss of control. If you’re traveling during or after a storm, go slowly, avoid cruise control, and keep a traction product in your car. Just like packing a car safety kit, spreading a bit of Traction Magic under your tires or along walkways gives you the upper hand against this invisible hazard.
Now, when someone asks what is black ice on roads, you’ll know it’s not just a buzzword—it’s a real risk that requires proactive planning. From temperature awareness to traction prep, beating black ice starts with understanding it.
Conclusion
Blizzard preparedness is about more than shovels and supplies—it’s about anticipating hidden dangers like black ice roads. You now know how is black ice formed, what temperature black ice forms, and most importantly, how to act before it sneaks up on you. Add traction agents like ice Traction Magic to your toolkit alongside emergency gear and eco-friendly ice melt. Whether you’re walking the sidewalk or spinning tires in the snow, having that grip can mean the difference between control and chaos. So when the wind howls and snow falls, you’ll be ready for what’s beneath it too.
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