Mother Nature played a trick on Pike County last weekend when the weather was warm enough for tshirts and in some cases even shorts. But this week colder temperatures blew into Pike County and windchill factors plummeted into the upper teens and low 20’s.

Since Pike Countians aren’t accustomed to temperatures below the freezing mark and because there is the possibility of sleet and freezing rain later in the week, some people may be a little confused about what to do to get ready.

While the weather here is nothing compared to the frigid conditions in the north east, people still need to be cautious about leaving plants and animals out in the cold temperatures. Although Pike County is not a deep freeze, plants and animals, like their owners, are not used to temperatures near and below freezing and it could be a shock to their systems causing sickness and possible death.#

But plants and animals aren’t the only things that need special attention when temperature drop. Cars and homes are often in need of winterizing against harsher elements. Adding antifreeze to vehicles and wrapping pipes and filling gas tanks are good words of advice for home and car owners. Taking care of these thing before the temperatures dips below the freezing level can save a lot of time in the long run and prevent a lot of unnecessary frustration.

Forecasters have predicted a chance of sleet and freezing rain for Thursday or Friday. Again the winter weather may stop short of Pike County, but a possibility is all you should need to know to get prepared. If Pike County should fall victim to weather like that in the north east we are confident city and county officials will make the right decisions to keep all residents safe.

Remember hindsight is 20/20, take all the necessary precautions now to prevent any mayhem that may result from pipes that have burst or cars that won’t start because it’s a little chilly outside.

Jan. 25, 2000 10 PM