There’s no telling what Pittsburgh weather will throw at you. Sure, we’re well insulated from coastal catastrophes like hurricanes and tsunamis, but we often experience heavy snow in the winter, flooding in the spring, and occasionally even tornados in the summer. While your risk often depends on your location within Allegheny County, we should all follow proper Pittsburgh storm safety and preparation so you and your family remain safe no matter what Mother Nature brings.
Table of Contents
Storm Supplies to Keep Nearby
Heavy Rain and Wind Preparation
Flood Preparation
Additional Resources for Emergencies in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Storm Safety and Preparation
To help you and your family remain safe all year long, let’s go through the best practices of both storm safety and storm preparation:
Storm Safety Steps
Be sure to follow these general best practices in the event of a serious storm:
Have an emergency plan. Having an emergency plan for the entire family to follow can be a life-saving measure in your preparations. This includes:
Know what to do if you are at home during a fire, tornado, or flood.
Have a secure place or room to go into during a tornado or a storm with heavy winds.
Have a secure meeting outside if your family must evacuate the home.
Understand everyone’s schedule for work and school, as well as the routes they take during their commute.
Keep the phone numbers of your local police, EMT, and fire departments (check our detailed Pittsburgh neighborhood reports for more information) in an easy-to-reach location within your home.
Maintain an emergency repair kit. We’ve built a detailed list of emergency repair supplies you should keep handy in case a window suddenly breaks, your basement begins to flood, or any other sort of urgent situation arises. Remember the old Boy Scout motto: Be prepared!
Pay attention to the local news to keep abreast of the latest storm updates. KDKA (channel 2), WPXI (channel 11), and WTAE (channel 4) report on local news in Pittsburgh. For radio updates, you can turn to KDKA’s FM 100.1 or AM 1020. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania also runs AlertPA, which will automatically notify you of emergency situations in your region.
Stay away from windows and doors. Small trees, branches, and other debris could break through windows and doors when caught in the wind.
Unplug valuable electronics, like cell phones, laptops, computers, and tablets. Even if you have a surge protector, a nearby lightning strike can send an enormous amount of electricity to your devices, completely ruining them.
Be careful with candles. While candles can provide comfort and light when the power goes out, a candle should never be unattended or left alone with children. Be sure all candles are extinguished before going to bed or leaving the room.
If you’re in a winter storm, keep warm clothes nearby. If you suddenly lose power or heat, you and your family should bundle up to keep warm. Remember to wear a close-fitting base layer (like an undershirt), a second layer for additional insulation (like a sweatshirt), and a third layer (like an additional sweater or coat) for additional protection. You can continue to layer as needed to remain warm.
Storm Preparation Steps
Storm Supplies to Keep Nearby
It’s a great idea to keep a home emergency repair kit nearby for all sorts of emergencies (as we mentioned above), but surviving a serious storm may require a few extra assets. That includes:
A crank-powered or battery-powered radio
A crank-powered or battery-powered flashlight or lantern
Extra batteries for radios, flashlights, and lanterns
Candles and matches
Canned goods and nonperishable food
Safe drinking water
A blanket
Emergency cash in case you need to leave the home and are unable to pay for supplies or services with a credit card
Remember to regularly check on your emergency food and water to ensure they don’t expire!
Heavy Rain and Wind Preparation
When you’re expecting to face heavy rain and thunderstorms, follow these steps:
Clear your gutters, downspouts, and drains. Keeping these areas clean can help your home successfully collect and channel water away from your foundation.
Caulk and weatherstrip doors and windows. This will help keep excess water out of your home.
Check your roof and repair leaks. Repairing your roof on a sunny day is easier than trying to catch all of the water leaking into your attic in the middle of a heavy storm, especially if you’ve lost power!
Cut away dangerous or dead branches. This is a task that may be better suited for the professionals. In general, remain vigilant of nearby trees that have died or extend over your home. They could become deadly hazards in the middle of a storm!
Consider boarding up your windows. If you have time to prepare for a storm with extreme wind, boarding up your windows can prevent the need for costly window repairs.
Winter Storm Preparation in Pittsburgh
In an average year, Pittsburgh receives about two feet of snow. As we’re all aware, sometimes an entire foot can strike at once, leading to whiteout conditions, dangerous roads, and problems with the structural integrity of your home.
If you’re preparing for a heavy winter storm or for temperatures to drop, follow these recommendations:
Insulate water pipes. Insulating your water pipes can help to save energy and it helps prevent disaster. Insulation can prevent the water inside the pipes from freezing, something that could cause the water to expand and break the pipes.
Insulate your exterior walls. Your living spaces likely already have sufficient insulation, but an uninsulated attic or spare room can sap heat from your home, increasing your energy bills. Pro tip: Check our blog on ways to lower your heating bill for more ideas!
Seal all leaks. Leaks in your windows, walls, and doorways can let cold air in and hot air out. Seal these ahead of time.
Cut away dangerous or dead branches. Heavy snow and ice can cause old tree branches to break, creating potential hazards for your property.
Of course, some of these steps are better taken in the warmer months of the year! That’s why it’s so important to stay on top of your regular home maintenance in the spring, summer, and fall.
Flood Preparation in Pittsburgh
Be mindful of flooding, which is common in Pittsburgh in areas close to the rivers and streams. Flooding can occur during heavy rainstorms, but Pittsburgh has been none to flood from snow melting after blizzards. Neighborhoods that are especially prone to flooding include:
Aspinwall
Downtown
Etna
Lawrenceville
McKees Rocks
Millvale
Northside
Oakmont
Sharpsburg
Southside
Strip District
Verona
Preparing for Flooding
Your basement will likely take the brunt of any sort of serious flooding in your home. Having a dehumidifier running and emptying into a nearby drain can assist with light leaks, but you may need to resort to more dramatic steps if you find standing water in your basement. Having a specialist ensure your basement is watertight is a good first step, but it can be costly.
Other accessories that can help (in addition to a dehumidifier):
A wet vacuum to assist in removing water
A battery-powered sump pump to assist in removing water from your basement
A flood or moisture sensor to alert you when water is collecting in your basement
Additional Resources for Emergencies in Pittsburgh
If you’d like to learn more about storm safety in Pittsburgh and Allegheny Country, try these additional resources:
The National Weather Service - The National Weather Service keeps a close eye on dangerous storms throughout the country, and they offer reporting on local regions to keep you abreast of the latest storm updates.
Pittsburgh Safety Resources - This webpage from the City of Pittsburgh offers detailed guidance on a variety of hazards, including earthquakes, flooding, severe weather, and landslides.
Pittsburgh Winter Weather Recommendations - This pamphlet from the City of Pittsburgh Office of Emergency Management & Homeland Security offers detailed recommendations on what to do if Pittsburgh is hit by a severe winter storm.
Emphasizing Safety
If you’d like to discuss home safety in more detail or find a new home that can provide better security for you and your family, contact us! Feel free to email us directly at theblocks@blocksintheburgh.com.
Best,
Julie & Ted