Winter preparedness isn't about predicting exactly what is going to happen.

It's about making sure you're ready when something does.

Every winter brings the possibility of weather-related disruptions somewhere in the United States. Depending on where you live, that could mean heavy snow, freezing rain, ice, extreme cold, high winds, heavy rain, flooding, or a combination of several hazards.

And sometimes the biggest problem isn't the weather itself.

It's what happens when the weather disrupts the systems we depend on every day.

The power goes out.

The roads become dangerous.

The stores close.

The internet goes down.

A tree takes out a power line.

A pipe freezes.

A storm keeps utility crews from reaching your neighborhood.

Suddenly, something as simple as heating your home, getting groceries, charging your phone, or getting to work becomes much more difficult.

That's why we're launching the The Prepared State 72-Hour Winter Preparedness Challenge.

Could You Go 72 Hours?

Here's the challenge:

Imagine that tonight, something happens that prevents your household from operating normally.

Maybe it's a winter storm.

Maybe it's an ice storm.

Maybe it's a major power outage.

Maybe roads are unsafe and you simply can't leave the house.

Now imagine that the problem lasts for 72 hours.

Could your household:

• Stay warm?
• Have enough drinking water?
• Eat without going to the grocery store?
• Keep essential medications available?
• Charge phones?
• Receive emergency information?
• Keep important equipment running?
• Take care of children or pets?
• Safely deal with a loss of heat or power?
• Avoid unnecessary travel?

If the answer is yes, you're in good shape.

If the answer is no, don't panic.

You've just identified where to start.

Why 72 Hours?

Three days isn't a magic number.

Some emergencies can be resolved much faster.

Others can last considerably longer.

But 72 hours gives us a practical starting point.

It's long enough to expose weaknesses in our plans without requiring us to immediately build a massive stockpile.

FEMA's winter-storm guidance recommends having supplies available to shelter at home for several days without power, including food, water, medications, lighting, communications equipment, and supplies for pets and other household needs.

Think of 72 hours as your foundation.

Once you can comfortably handle three days, you can begin extending that capability.

Winter Preparedness Looks Different Across America

There isn't one universal winter preparedness plan.

Someone living in northern Minnesota may be preparing for extreme cold and heavy snow.

Someone in Georgia may be more concerned about a sudden freeze, ice, power outage, or frozen pipes.

Someone in California may be preparing for heavy winter rain, flooding, wind, and mountain snow.

Someone in Alaska may need to plan for prolonged cold and isolation.

Someone in Hawaii may have little concern about snow but still needs to prepare for heavy rain, flooding, wind, and power outages.

That's why we created our 72-Hour Winter Preparedness Checklist as a national resource.

It starts with the supplies and preparations that make sense for almost every household and then breaks down additional considerations by region.

Start With the Basics

Before worrying about advanced equipment, concentrate on the things your household needs every day.

Water

Have an emergency supply of drinking water.

A commonly used preparedness target is one gallon per person per day, when feasible, for at least three days.

Don't forget pets and other household needs.

Food

Build a supply of foods that your household will actually eat.

Canned foods, rice, pasta, beans, peanut butter, oatmeal, shelf-stable foods, and other nonperishables can form the foundation of a simple emergency pantry.

And remember:

Food that requires electricity to prepare may not be very useful during a power outage.

Light

Have multiple flashlights or lanterns.

Don't rely entirely on the flashlight on your phone.

Keep spare batteries or rechargeable options available.

Power

Think about the things you actually need to keep running.

For one household that might be a refrigerator and freezer.

For another it could be medical equipment.

For someone else it might be a well pump, heating equipment, communications equipment, or security system.

Figure out your critical electrical loads before you buy backup power.

Heat

Have a plan for staying warm if your normal heating system stops working.

Blankets, sleeping bags, warm clothing, hats, gloves, and insulated socks can make a significant difference.

If you use supplemental heating equipment, understand its safety requirements before an emergency.

Don't Forget Your Vehicle

Winter preparedness doesn't end at your front door.

A vehicle emergency can turn a routine trip into a serious situation.

Your winter vehicle kit should be appropriate for the conditions where you live and travel.

Consider keeping:

• Warm clothing
• Blanket
• Flashlight
• Extra batteries
• Water
• Snacks
• Phone charger or power bank
• First-aid supplies
• Jumper cables or jump starter
• Tire inflator
• Ice scraper
• Basic tools

Before major winter weather arrives, check your tires, battery, fluids, lights, wipers, and heating system.

And remember:

Sometimes the best emergency driving decision is not driving at all.

NOAA's winter weather products emphasize that significant winter conditions can create dangerous or impossible travel conditions and widespread disruptions.

Prepare for the Problems After the Storm

One of the most important parts of preparedness is thinking beyond the initial event.

What happens if:

The power is out for three days?

Your neighborhood can't be reached?

The grocery store is closed?

Your water pipes freeze?

Your cell phone battery dies?

Your internet goes down?

Your vehicle won't start?

A family member needs medication?

Those are the situations your preparedness plan should address.

You don't need a complicated plan.

You need a plan that works.

Your 72-Hour Challenge

We've created a free The Prepared State 72-Hour Winter Preparedness Checklist to help you identify the gaps.

The checklist includes a core household section plus regional considerations for:

• Northeast & New England
• Mid-Atlantic & Appalachians
• Southeast & Gulf Coast
• Midwest & Great Lakes
• Great Plains
• Rockies & Mountain West
• Southwest & Desert Southwest
• Pacific Northwest & Northern California
• Southern California & Desert West
• Alaska
• Hawaii

Download the checklist

[DOWNLOAD THE FREE 72-HOUR WINTER PREPAREDNESS CHECKLIST]

Print it.

Walk through your home.

Check the things you've already completed.

Then identify the gaps.

Don't try to fix everything in one weekend.

Start with the biggest weakness.

Then work down the list.

Preparedness Is Built One Layer at a Time

You don't have to become an expert prepper overnight.

Start with 72 hours.

Then build from there.

Three days of food and water becomes a week.

A flashlight becomes multiple lighting options.

A power bank becomes a larger backup-power system.

A basic first-aid kit becomes a more complete emergency medical kit.

One emergency plan becomes several layers of redundancy.

That's how preparedness grows.

Not all at once.

One layer at a time.

Don't Prepare From Fear. Prepare From Knowledge.

Long-range winter outlooks can give us useful information about broad seasonal patterns, but they cannot tell us exactly what weather a particular household will experience.

NOAA's current 2026–27 outlook, for example, identifies broad probabilities for temperature and precipitation patterns while emphasizing that these are not guarantees of specific conditions.

That's why we shouldn't wait for someone to tell us that a major storm is coming before we prepare.

By then, everyone else may be preparing too.

Stores may be crowded.

Supplies may be harder to find.

Generators and batteries may be sold out.

And you may already be dealing with dangerous weather.

Prepare before you need to prepare.

That's the idea behind The Prepared State.

We aren't trying to predict the future.

We're trying to make sure we're ready for it.

Take the 72-Hour Challenge.

Download the checklist.

Find your gaps.

Fix them one at a time.

And when you're finished, ask yourself:

"What would I need if 72 hours became seven days?"

That's where the next level of preparedness begins.

Stay Prepared. Stay Ready. Stay The Prepared State.