Wyoming Braces for Cold Snap

The cowboy state is bracing itself for a cold snap as a substantial Arctic cold front is affecting the majority of the Western United states including most of Wyoming.

Jason Anglin, a meteorologist for the National Weather service in Riverton says that wintertime safety is key for people and pets who will be spending time outdoors this week.

"For [people's] own personal safety, if they're out in the cold, make sure all skin is covered up.  Try not to expose too much for long periods of time," says Anglin.  "And definitely keep pets inside as much as you can.  Don't leave them out, unattended for too long.  And keep them out of the wind for as much as possible."

Temperatures this week are expected to dip as low as eighteen-below-zero during overnight hours this week in Casper and eleven-below-zero in Cheyenne.

The Casper City Manager's office is also advising people to keep warm and has released a series of safety tips from the Red Cross to keep in mind during the cold weather.

• Wear layers of lightweight clothing to stay warm.  Wearing a hat and gloves will help prevent losing body heat.
• Don't forget your pets- bring them indoors.  If they can't come indoors, make sure they have enough shelter to keep warm and they can get to unfrozen water.
• Protect your pipes.  Run water, even at a trickle, to help prevent pipes from freezing.  Open kitchen and bathroom cabinets to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing.  Keep the garage door closed if there are waterlines in the garage.
• Keep the thermostat at the same temperature day-and-night.  Your heating bill maybe a bit higher but you could avoid a more costly repair job if your pipes freeze and burst.
• If you are using a space heater, put it on a level, hard surface.  Also keep flammable things like paper, clothing, bedding, curtains or rugs away.
• Turn off space heaters and make sure fireplace embers are out before leaving the room or going to bed.
• Never use a stove or oven to heat your home.
• If you are using a fireplace, use a glass or metal screen large enough to catch sparks and rolling logs.
• Use generators correctly.  Never use a generator inside a home, including the basement or garage.
• Don't hook up a generator to a home's wiring.  Connect the equipment you want to power directly to the outlets on the generator.