You can get stranded in a snowstorm before you even realize what’s happening. Whiteout conditions, icy roads, and dropping temperatures can turn an ordinary drive into something much riskier than you’d expect.
Usually, the safest move is to stay inside your vehicle, keep warm, and signal for help. What you do in those first few minutes can really tip the balance between just being uncomfortable and facing real danger.
A snowstorm traps more than just cars—it locks in heat, energy, and whatever supplies you brought along. Every choice matters, from how you stay warm to how you make yourself visible. Using your car’s systems safely, layering up, and rationing what you have all play a part in getting through the cold.
If you act wisely, you can keep yourself safe until the weather clears or rescuers arrive. Here’s how to react right away, stay visible, manage warmth, and make the most of what you’ve got—without making things worse.
Immediate Actions to Take When Stranded
When heavy snow and wind stop you in your tracks, your safety really depends on what you do next. Quick thinking helps you stay out of trouble, conserve energy, and keep in touch with the outside world.
Stay Calm and Assess Your Situation
Panic eats up time and energy. If you keep a clear head, you’ll make better choices.
First, check yourself and anyone else for injuries or frostbite. Look around—does your car or shelter protect you from the wind and snow?
Next, pay attention to the weather and visibility. If the snow’s still coming down hard, walking is probably a bad idea. Take stock of what you have: food, water, blankets, and warm clothes.
Figure out how you’ll use your supplies. For example,
- Water: bottled water or a way to melt snow
- Warmth: blankets, extra clothes, or the car’s heat
- Light: flashlight or hazard lights
Remain Inside Your Vehicle
If a snowstorm strands you while driving, you’ll be safest inside your car. It shields you from the wind and makes you easier to spot.
Before you run the engine for heat, clear snow away from the exhaust pipe to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. Run the engine in short bursts—about 10 to 15 minutes each hour—to save fuel.
Crack a window on the side away from the wind so air can circulate. Pile on extra layers and wrap up in blankets to keep your body heat in. Moving your arms and legs now and then keeps your blood flowing.
Turn on your hazard lights to boost your visibility. If you have them, put reflective triangles or flares a little ways behind your car. That warns others and helps rescuers find you.
Alert Authorities and Share Your Location
If you have cell service, call emergency services or roadside assistance right away. Give them your location, how many people are with you, and any urgent medical issues.
If you’re not sure where you are, use a GPS app or look for road signs or landmarks. Share this info so help can reach you faster.
Text messages sometimes work when calls don’t. Save your phone’s battery by using it only when you need to. If you brought a power bank, use it to keep your phone charged until help gets there.
Ensuring Visibility and Attracting Help
When you’re stuck in a snowstorm, being seen can mean you get rescued sooner. Bright lights, clear signals, and anything that stands out help rescuers find you, even if the weather’s nasty and visibility is low.
Use Hazard Lights and Flares
Hazard lights are your quickest bet for making your car visible in snow or low light. Switch them on as soon as you’re safely stopped. Those flashing lights can really cut through the snow and catch someone’s eye.
If your battery’s in good shape, hazard lights can stay on for hours without draining it completely. But if the battery’s weak, use the lights in intervals to save power.
Flares are another strong visual signal. They burn bright and stand out, even in bad weather. Space them out about 15 to 30 feet behind your car in a line to guide rescuers in.
Keep flares away from anything flammable, and only light them when it’s safe. Store them somewhere dry and easy to reach.
Display Bright-Colored Cloth or Markers
A bright cloth tied to your antenna, roof rack, or mirror can help you stand out against the snow. Red, orange, or neon colors work best since they pop in winter conditions.
If you don’t have a cloth, use any non-white item—a blanket, jacket, or even a safety vest. The main thing is to create a contrast that grabs attention.
Reflective tape or panels also work. Stick them on your car or put them nearby where they’ll get noticed. At night, reflective stuff shows up when headlights or searchlights hit it.
Make Your Vehicle Noticeable to Rescuers
Snow piles up fast and can hide your car before you know it. Keep brushing snow off the roof, windows, and hood so you stay visible.
If it’s safe, make a big “X” or write “HELP” in the snow using dark items, branches, or spare clothes. That way, rescuers can spot you from the air or ground.
Try not to park behind big snowbanks or drifts. If you can, pick a spot out in the open where you’re easy to see.
Would you like me to also write the next section on staying warm inside the vehicle? That seems like the natural next step here.
Staying Warm and Preventing Exposure
When you’re stuck during a winter storm, the biggest dangers are losing heat and being out in the cold too long. Staying insulated, using heat sources safely, and blocking drafts help you avoid hypothermia and frostbite. Even small things can help you hang on to body heat.
Layer Clothing and Use Blankets
Wearing lots of layers traps warm air between them, which keeps you insulated. Loose layers work best—they let air move but don’t let heat escape. Start with a moisture-wicking base layer to keep your skin dry, then add something warm like fleece or wool.
If you need to go outside, pick outer layers that are windproof and water-resistant. Inside the car, pile on extra blankets, sleeping bags, or coats for more insulation.
Don’t forget your head, neck, and hands—they lose heat fast. Mittens beat gloves for warmth, and a knit hat or scarf makes a real difference. If you’re short on blankets, newspapers or extra clothes can help too.
If you start sweating, pull off a layer. Wet clothes cool you down fast and make things worse.
Run Engine Safely for Heat
You can use the car’s engine to warm up, but do it carefully. Always clear snow from the exhaust pipe first so you don’t get carbon monoxide poisoning.
Crack a window on the side away from the wind for fresh air. That keeps dangerous fumes from building up.
Run the engine about 10 minutes each hour to save fuel but still stay warm. While it’s running, move your arms and legs to keep your blood moving.
Don’t fall asleep with the engine running. You need to stay alert to watch your fuel, check ventilation, and keep an eye on the weather.
If you’re running low on gas, use the heat only in short bursts and rely more on layers and blankets.
Block Drafts and Insulate the Vehicle
Cold air sneaks in fast and can chill the inside of your car. Use clothes, blankets, or even floor mats to cover windows and stop drafts.
Stuff rags, towels, or spare clothes into gaps around doors to keep the heat in.
At night, drape blankets or jackets over the windows to trap warmth. If you have them, tape reflective emergency blankets to the windows to bounce body heat back inside.
Close off unused parts of the car, like the back seats, so you only have to keep a small area warm.
Sealing up leaks and holding onto heat lowers your risk of exposure and helps you save energy.
Safe Use of Vehicle Systems
When it’s freezing, running your car for heat can save your life, but it’s risky too. Snow and ice can block the exhaust, and poor ventilation lets dangerous gases build up. You need to use the engine and airflow systems carefully to avoid trouble.
Check and Clear the Exhaust Pipe
Before you start the engine, check the tailpipe for snow, ice, or slush. A blocked exhaust can fill your car with carbon monoxide. Even a partial clog is dangerous.
If you find snow or ice, dig it out with a shovel, ice scraper, or even your gloved hands. Make sure the area around the exhaust is clear for a few feet.
During heavy or blowing snow, check the exhaust every 30 minutes or so—drifts can cover it up fast.
A folding shovel in your winter kit makes this job a lot easier, especially in deep snow.
Ventilate to Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
When you run the engine, crack a window on the downwind side about an inch. That lets fresh air in and keeps carbon monoxide from building up—it’s odorless but deadly.
Run the heater in short bursts, about 10 minutes an hour, to save fuel and lower the risk. Between heating cycles, wrap up in blankets or extra clothes to stay warm.
If you’ve got more than one person, switch seats now and then to keep air moving. Don’t seal up the car too tightly with plastic or heavy covers—trapped exhaust can be just as dangerous.
A battery-powered carbon monoxide detector is a smart addition for anyone who drives in winter a lot. It adds another layer of safety.
Managing Supplies and Hydration
If you’re stranded in a snowstorm, you have to manage your supplies carefully. Water, food, and battery power don’t last forever, so plan ahead and keep an eye on what you use.
Ration Water and Food
Even in the cold, you lose water just by breathing and moving around. Take small sips regularly instead of gulping down a lot at once. It’ll help your supplies last longer.
Split up your food too. High-calorie snacks—nuts, peanut butter, energy bars—give you steady energy. Avoid salty stuff since it’ll just make you thirstier.
A simple table helps you track what you’ve used:
| Time | Water Taken | Food Eaten | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 AM | 100 ml | Half bar | Felt warm |
| 12 PM | 100 ml | Nuts | Light activity |
Writing things down keeps you from using too much by accident.
Melt Snow Safely for Drinking
You can use snow for water, but don’t eat it straight—it’ll chill your body and up your risk of hypothermia. Melt it first.
If you have a metal container and a way to make a flame, melt snow over the heat. No flame? Put snow in a bottle and tuck it inside your clothes to thaw slowly.
Try to filter or boil melted snow before drinking to get rid of dirt and germs. Even clean-looking snow can have stuff you don’t want.
Don’t use all your fuel at once just to make water. Figure out how much you need—about 2 liters per adult each day—and plan your fuel use.
Conserve Cellphone Battery Life
Your phone could save your life, but the cold drains batteries fast. Turn it off when you’re not using it, and keep it in your coat or pocket to stay warm.
Lower the screen brightness, turn off Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, and close any apps you don’t need. Switch on battery saver mode if it’s there.
If you have a charger, use it only when your battery gets low—don’t top up all the time. If you’re charging in the car, run the engine just long enough and always make sure the exhaust is clear.
Keep an eye on your battery so your phone’s ready when you really need it.
Emergency Preparedness and Essential Gear
Having the right gear before a snowstorm can really make a difference. Good supplies help you stay warm, visible, and in touch when travel gets dangerous or impossible.
Pack a Winter Emergency Kit
Honestly, you should keep a winter emergency kit in your vehicle all season. Pack warm clothing, extra gloves, hats, and insulated boots so you don’t risk frostbite.
Throw in some non-perishable food and stash at least three days’ worth of water. No water? Toss in a metal container so you can melt snow if you have to. Just don’t eat snow straight—it’ll drop your core body temp fast.
Bring a flashlight with extra batteries so you can see when it gets dark early. A whistle or signal light can help rescuers find you, and road flares really stand out when visibility drops.
You’ll want a sleeping bag rated for subzero temperatures or some heavy blankets for warmth if you can’t run the engine. Candles and matches, sealed in something waterproof, can give you a little heat and light too.
Include Jumper Cables and Extra Supplies
Cold weather really drains car batteries, so you’ll want to keep jumper cables handy for winter driving. Go for heavy-duty cables that are at least 12 feet long—they’ll actually reach between cars, even if you end up parked at an awkward angle.
A small shovel comes in clutch for digging snow away from your tires or clearing out the exhaust pipe. If you’re running the heater, this keeps carbon monoxide from building up.
Pack tire chains or traction aids to help your tires grip those slippery, icy roads. Tossing in a bag of sand or cat litter isn’t a bad idea either; sometimes that’s all you need to break free when you’re stuck.
You might also want a first aid kit, a charged power bank for your phone, and a bright vest. If you have to step out in rough weather, these can make things a little safer.