Be ready before the next lake-effect storm hits Onondaga County.
The Central New York Storm Prep Checklist covers 22 items every Syracuse, Cicero, Camillus, Liverpool, DeWitt, and Manlius household should have set 24 hours before lake-effect snow, ice, or severe wind moves in. Built from Onondaga County emergency-management guidance, Syracuse Fire Department winter advisories, and NWS Buffalo lake-effect protocols.
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What you get in the next two minutes
The 22-Item Storm Prep PDF
Printable, color-coded, fridge-ready. Battery, water, heat, vehicle, communication, medical. Each item time-stamped from when the NWS Buffalo lake-effect watch is issued.
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What is on the checklist
A preview of the 22 items, organized by category. The full PDF includes time-of-day priority and CNY-specific notes.
Power and Heat
- Charged power bank, minimum 10,000 mAh per adult
- Battery or hand-crank weather radio tuned to NWS 162.475 MHz Buffalo
- Confirmed working generator transfer switch and fuel supply
- One indoor-safe heat source (kerosene heater, fireplace fuel check)
- Carbon monoxide detector battery test
Water and Food
- One gallon of water per person per day, three-day minimum
- 72 hours of non-perishable food
- Manual can opener verified working
- Bathtub WaterBOB or bath plug for emergency fill
Vehicle and Transit
- Fuel tank above 1/2 full before any lake-effect warning
- Winter emergency kit in vehicle (blanket, sand, shovel, flares)
- Centro bus or Syracuse Hancock airport status check link saved
- Tire tread and pressure verified for cold
Communication
- SMS alerts subscription to a local public-safety service
- Phone tree, three out-of-area contacts
- Onondaga County 911 reverse-alert opt-in confirmed
Medical
- Seven-day medication supply
- First-aid kit fully stocked
- Insurance card and pharmacy contacts on a wallet card
- Crouse, Upstate, and St. Joe's ER numbers saved offline
Home Exterior
- Snow shovels and rock salt staged at every exit
- Roof rake on hand for lake-effect snow loads above 18 inches
- Hoses disconnected from outdoor spigots, exterior pipes wrapped
Skip the panic-buying line at Wegmans
Lake-effect snow does not give Central New York much warning. Get the checklist, get the Morning Brief, get to the storm prepared.
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