Snowmageddon 2026: What to expect, and tips on how to stay safe and warm

Grocery aisles all over the county that once contained milk are suddenly barren and empty. Bottled water aisles have seemingly evaporated, and bread and eggs appear to have skipped town entirely. This can only mean one thing… There must be a winter storm knocking at the door.

Indeed, there is. And it appears to be shaping up to be a pretty nasty one. It is expected to arrive in our area early to mid afternoon on Saturday, and it’s going to stick around for a while. Luckily for those in need, the Washington County Warming Station at the Presbyterian Church (110 N High St, Salem) will be open everyday aside from Wednesday. Specific hours for the week have yet to be decided. Follow their Facebook page for updates.

In the event of an extended power failure, Mayor Justin Green's office recommends checking updates from Salem Community Schools regarding the availability of the FEMA-funded safe room.

We had the pleasure of speaking with Salem Fire Department Assistant Chief Max Gamble about how emergency responders are preparing for the storm, and how you can stay prepared for the worst. But first, how much snow are we expecting, and could we see any ice as well?

Below is a video forecast by local Meteorologist Brian Wolfe. He predicts a 9-12 inch range but also says we could see more in some areas.

“The Salem Fire Department has a full time career staff,” said Assistant Chief Max Gamble. “So, Saturday and Sunday for sure, we will have three guys on duty. Myself and Mark [Day] are going to be on-call. We'll be either at the station or nearby because we both live very close. So, we'll be very available. Our career staff actually operates on a callback status as well. Between the three guys on station and then myself and Mark being on-call and having the rest of our career staff available for a callback in addition to our volunteer guys, as far as manpower and getting trucks out the door, I think we're going to be okay.

“So much depends on what actually happens,” he continued. “So, if it's just snow I think the city street department and the county highway department will do a great job, as always, getting the roads cleared off and opened up. Obviously, it may take a day or two to get to some of your more rural roads out in the county. But if it's just snow, as far as getting around, I think for the most part emergency services should be okay. If it ends up being ice, that brings on a whole new set of challenges, especially for fire and EMS. Those big fire trucks and ambulances don't do very well on ice. They are heavier, so it does make it a little bit better as far traction is concerned, but like anything getting on ice, you've got to be super careful.

“We've spent the past two days really gearing up and figuring out what we need,” said Gamble. “Unfortunately, we're kind of in a waiting game. Are we going to get 2 or 3 inches, or are we going to get the 14, 15 inches they're talking about? We have been in contact with the sheriff’s department; we’re seeing what resources are available in terms of the departments and what they can do. It's a lot of behind the scenes work as far as coordinating with different agencies and departments to make sure we have what we need.”

Gamble then began to discuss how people can prepare themselves for a winter storm, as well as ways of heating your home that you should avoid.

“You need to prepare and have food that you can cook, or have some non-perishable stuff if the power goes out that you can eat,” Gamble said. “But don't ‘panic buy.’ Don't go and buy unnecessary duplicates of things like four or five gallons of milk. When you start, as I call it, ‘panic buying,’ you might have folks that may be behind the eight ball, or have not had a chance to go to the store. And then when they go, there's nothing left. So, I encourage buying food and having a supply for a few days, but you have to be courteous to everybody else that needs some stuff as well. In addition to food, you also need to have some flashlights or battery powered lanterns, things like that. Some form of lighting that you can light an area in your home if power goes out. Candles work, too, but you need to be fire-smart with that. Make sure they're not around drapes and curtains and things like that. Try to put them in the center of a room on a table.

“If you're fortunate enough to have a generator or some propane heaters or things like that, make sure you've got fuel for those,” he said. “Make sure to have plenty of blankets available if your heat goes out. Have a plan to potentially go to a friend or family's house that might have a wood stove or has a generator. Make sure your doors and windows are sealed up to keep heat in. Also, try to think of ways to keep your water from freezing. One thing that a lot of folks will do is turn their faucets on to where they're just kind of dripping or a steady little stream is coming out. That way, the water is moving through your pipes so they don't freeze.”

Since they are anticipating a lot of emergency calls coming in, Gamble stressed the importance of utilizing 911 for true emergencies only, such as life-threatening injuries or illnesses, wrecks and fires, and other similar situations. He also advised people to try to limit their travel to necessary trips only and gave a list of things you should keep in your vehicle in case you get stranded:

• Flashlights

• Batteries

• Extra Coats

• Blankets

• Snacks

• Water

• Jumper cables

• Full tank of gas

Gamble then advised residents to have proper ventilation when utilizing heat sources like propane or natural gas due to carbon monoxide release.

“I know it kind of defeats the purpose, but crack a window,” said Gamble. “Make sure you've got some fans circulating because if you use that in a sealed environment, that's going to lead to a buildup of carbon monoxide, which leads to a medical emergency that could result in serious injury or death.

“Everybody in the county – the commissioners, the council, the mayor, city council , city street department, county highway department, EMS, police, fire, EMA – we've all been in contact. We're all trying to plan to the best of our ability. We're making sure we're utilizing what resources we have. It's definitely going to be a challenge, but we're going to respond to calls the best we can, and get there in a timely manner the best we can,” concluded Gamble.

We hope you stay safe and warm this coming week as you weather the storm. Remember to be cautious if using an open flame of any kind indoors, as well as any carbon monoxide sources like propane or natural gas. And, use the many other tips above to help you do the best you can to avoid any issues in the days to come.