With winter weather on the way tonight and into tomorrow, it’s important for residents to prepare.

First and foremost, listen carefully to weather forecasts.

Forecasts can change from day-to-day, even hour-to-hour.

And this weekend is no different, the National Weather Service has forecasted rain for tonight and Saturday, but meteorologists cautioned that weather conditions could change since Pike County is close to the area of concern for snow.

With that, prepare now.

Check your emergency supplies.

Make sure you have a battery-powered radio, extra batteries and a NOAA weather radio.

Have a week’s worth of food and safety supplies, which include drinking water, canned and no-cook food, non-electric can opener, baby food and formula, prescription drugs and other medicine, a first-aid kit, rock-salt to melt ice on walkways, supply of cat litter or bag of sand to add traction on walkways and battery-powered lamps and lanterns.

Remember to leave all water taps slightly open so they drip continuously, keep the indoor temperatures warm and be sure to allow more heated air near pipes. This will help guard against pipes freezing and bursting.

If the power goes out, it’s vital to have another source of heat other than electric heat.

This could be a fireplace or space heaters.

Don’t forget to make a warm place for your pets, if they aren’t inside animals.

If snowy conditions do become prevalent in our area, it’s important to use caution when driving. If it’s necessary to travel make trips as brief as possible.

But, overall it’s best to stay indoors as much as possible.

We encourage you to take these simple steps to protect your family and your pets.