Even though the current weather might not feel like it, winter weather will be here before you know it, and now is an excellent time to prepare for winter weather events.

Today is Winter Weather Awareness Day in Iowa. National Weather Service Meteorologist Jeff Zogg says now is the time to go through your winter weather kits in your home and restock anything you might need. At home, it’s essential to prepare for an event that could cause a loss of power. This includes non-perishable food, flashlights, batteries, blankets, and warm clothing readily available. In your car, Zogg advises having an ice scraper, sand or kitty litter, booster cables, as well as spare blankets or warm clothing.

Zogg explains what kind of terminology people should be aware of, “The first is the outlook stage, which is seven days out. You should monitor forecasts for additional information. As the storm gets closer, then we go to the watch phase two to three days before the event. Start taking necessary precautions in case that happens. Then the warning phase is usually within 24-48 hours and that means to continue and finish preparing for the storm, as well as monitoring for updated warning statements. Along with a warning is an advisory, usually within 24-36 hours of the event, and with advisories, you should experience caution when traveling, be prepared for any possible impacts.”

Dallas County offers a notification service that will send an email, text message, or automated phone call whenever there is a weather event or any kind of community emergency. This is a free service that residents can customize based on their area and what kind of alerts they’d like to receive. You can enroll via text message by texting “dallasalerts” to 69310. Once you send the message, you’ll receive a link to follow and set up the kind of notifications you would like. You can find a link to sign up with this story online at RaccoonValleyRadio.com. Listen to Raccoon Valley Radio for weather updates and information on local cancellations and delays.