Winter Weather Preparedness Week in Colorado - An excellent initiative

Wyoming Air National Guard loadmasters aboard a C-130 Hercules aircraft watch as a 1-ton hay bale lands near a herd of cows during an emergency feeding mission in southeast Colorado Jan. 3, 2007 (Wikipedia)

Severe winter weather in Colorado is a not only an inconvenience for many people - it can be deadly. Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper is to be congratulated for proclaiming the week October 21 to Octrober 27 Winter Weather Preparedness Week in his state.

From the National Weather Service:

Public Information Statement
National Weather Service
Grand Junction CO

..Winter Weather Preparedness Week in Colorado…

Governor John Hickenlooper has proclaimed the week of October 21st through October 27th as Winter Weather Preparedness Week in Colorado. This is an excellent time for all individuals…families…businesses…schools…and media outlets to review their winter storm preparedness plans. It is especially important for all new arrivals to the state to become familiar with the national weather service watch and warning definitions…as well as winter safety procedures.

Snow in Colorado is important to the farmers…the ski areas…and for filling up reservoirs. However…winter storms often bring heavy snow…bitterly cold temperatures…high winds…low visibilities and slick roads. This can lead to dangerous travel conditions and other life threatening situations such as avalanches and dangerously low wind chill temperatures.

To help you prepare for these hazards this coming winter…the National Weather Service will issue statements throughout the week to discuss:

• Intro - Winter Weather Preparedness Week
• Part 1 - Winter travel safety
• Part 2- Watches…warnings…and advisories
• Part 3- High winds
• Part 4 - Wind chill temperatures and hypothermia
• Part 5 - Avalanche safety
• Review - Winter Weather Preparedness Week review

    The Colorado Winter Weather Preparedness Week is also an excellent reminder of the fact that winter weather is a much bigger problem globally than a few hot summer weeks. In Europe e.g. cold kills more than seven times as many people as heat does. Columnist George Will is right when he says that "worldwide, moderate warming will, on the balance, save more lives than it will cost - by a 9-to-1 ratio in China and India. So, if substantially cutting carbon dioxide reverses warming, that will mean a large net loss of life globally."