It’s almost hard to believe, but another winter season is upon us.
It feels like I was just wearing shorts outside and blasting the air conditioning, but that turned quickly. I let out an audible groan when I saw a snowstorm warning for earlier this week.
I live in rural Northern New Jersey, so winters are more challenging. I started thinking of ways to prep for winter and potential complications with my phone.
After a bit of research, it turns out I’m not alone. There are several ways to use your smartphone to help keep you safe during the colder months.
If you’re like me and prepping for a long winter of snow, here’s what you should be doing with your smartphone.
Don’t be lazy, make sure everything is charged up
Grab yourself some entertainment, too
It’s going to sound obvious, but if you’re expecting a snowstorm, charge up every electronic device you own. Don’t think you’re going to be the lucky one somehow and never have a power outage.
Charge your smartphones, tablets, and laptops. It’s also not a bad idea to scour around the house for all of those power banks you probably have lying around. I know we found at least 10 in my household of varying capacities.
Those slim 5,000mAh banks may not seem like much, but they’ll get your phone one full charge, which should be enough for another day of use.
I know when I’ve been unprepared for outages in the past, the thing that gets me at night more than the lack of lighting is the boredom. I have nothing to do or watch, and it can be hard to pass the hours.
Do yourself a favor and take some time downloading every show and movie you can from every service that allows it. Spread content over multiple devices and tablets so you can use your available battery power wisely.
I know everyone has at least a few Amazon Fire tablets lying around. Snowstorms are a perfect opportunity to dig them out and get some value from that impulse Black Friday purchase from two years ago.
Get all of your ducks in a row just in case
Keep emergency contacts and help numbers handy
Google Keep is a simple yet versatile program. It doesn’t take much to add things, and it can have as much or as little organization as you desire.
When preparing for a storm or potential emergency, it doesn’t hurt to have all your important contacts and information listed. Find the emergency service numbers and any information you might need if you lose internet access for an extended period.
Mobile network coverage can be spotty during storms, so it’s best to have a reliable backup.
It’s also an ideal app for storing medical information or keeping track of prescriptions you need. You can track which refills you need ahead of time, so you’re not caught without if a storm hits and travel becomes dangerous.
If you’re a Google Maps user, you can download maps of your location so that they can be used offline.
As we know, it doesn’t snow in space (thanks, Groundhog Day), so even if you lose your mobile data connection, the offline maps paired with GPS can still get you to where you need to go.
I enjoy weather apps a little too much
It’s best to know what’s coming
I’m a fan of weather apps. I always had the WeatherBug app open on my PC 20 years ago, because I thought it was fun to get real-time weather data from so many locations.
That’s now extended to my smartphone. How can you know when to prepare if you don’t know what to expect?
I’ve used Grumpy Cat Weather for longer than I’d like to admit. I have cats, and the widget is cute.
I know the app moved away from Dark Sky when Apple purchased it, but Grumpy Cat Weather is still accurate and reliable. I like the way it presents information, and it has a nifty widget that I use daily.
If you enjoy a minimalist aesthetic, the Weather Underground widget gives you the information you need without taking up much space on your home screen.
I like to see incoming radar information, so I often pair the Grumpy Cat Weather widget with the Weather Channel widget to get up-to-date information and a radar view of how close the storm is to arriving.
It’s too much for the average person, I’m sure, but it’s a way to have a bit of fun in a storm while getting valuable weather information.
Don’t get caught off guard during your next storm
It never hurts to be prepared, and your phone can be an excellent tool during an emergency or power outage if used properly.
Even if you only need entertainment to get you through a cold, stormy night, it’s better than sitting quietly in the dark.
So next time you hear snow is on the way, get out those tablets and keep everything charged — you’ll be glad you did.
