When it comes to monitoring winter storms in Chicago, you can’t be too careful. There are times when it’s safe to wait a storm out and times when you need to get to get off the streets and huddle around a fireplace with a cup of joe. Looking for tools and tips for monitoring winter storms in Chicago? You’ve come to the right place.
Know the terms that local weather stations use to describe winter weather events. Do you know the difference between a Winter Weather Advisory and a Winter Storm Warning? Check out ready.gov’s winter weather page to make sure that you understand what you’re hearing over the radio or viewing through a text alert.
Download a weather app. There are a wide variety of apps available that will notify you whenever there is a significant weather event in your area. Global Can of Worms runs in the background and lets you know whenever the National Weather Service provides an alert for your area. The Simple Weather Alert app from Global Can of Worms allows you to set the notification you receive based on the severity of the alert so that you don’t get a high-level alert for a low-level threat. The cost? Free.
Prefer a little more streamlined app or something for your iphone? WeatherSphere offers the NOAA Weather Alerts – Severe Weather Push Notifications & Warnings app, which will push out an alert that will get your attention whether your phone is in use or not. According to the item description, the latest version has been streamlined to remove any clunky usage issues that slowed down previous users. This app has been field-tested and has a wide array of reviews, making it well worth the $3.99 price tag for many users.
Sign up for weather updates. The simplest way to use your phone as a storm monitoring device free of charge? Sign up for text alerts. CBS Chicago offers text alerts in the event of a weather emergency. It’s likely that other local news sites do, as well. By taking a minute to sign up now, you ensure that you’re aware of all of the local weather threats as they occur.
Looking for a snow and ice removal service that will monitor and communicate weather updates to you directly? Contact Brancato Snow and Ice Management and we’ll make it easier to get your employees and customers in and out of the parking lot in the event of a winter emergency.