How to Stay Warm During a Power Outage in a Blizzard
Safety tips for Plymouth County & South Shore residents
When a blizzard knocks out power, staying warm becomes more than a comfort issue — it’s a safety issue. With strong winter storms common along the South Shore (including Marshfield and the rest of Plymouth County), here’s a simple, practical guide you can follow at home.
🧥 1. Dress in layers — even indoors
Don’t rely on just one heavy sweatshirt.
Use:
- Thermal or long-sleeve base layer
- Hoodie or fleece
- Winter coat or heavy jacket
- Thick socks (two pairs if needed)
- Hat and gloves
👉 A lot of body heat is lost through your head and feet.
🚪 2. Close off rooms you don’t need
Pick one main room to stay in.
- Close doors to bedrooms and unused rooms
- Hang blankets or towels along the bottom of doors
- Cover drafty windows with blankets or plastic
This keeps the heat you do have trapped in one space.
🛋️ 3. Build a “warm zone” inside your house
Set up a small area with:
- Couch or mattress on the floor
- Blankets underneath you (important!)
- More blankets on top
👉 Cold comes up from the floor fast. Put a blanket, rug, or even cardboard underneath.
🔥 4. Never use unsafe heat sources indoors
During blizzards, people get hurt every year from:
- Grills
- Camp stoves
- Fire pits
- Running cars in garages
These can cause deadly carbon monoxide poisoning.
Both and strongly warn: Only use heating devices that are approved for indoor use.
🕯️ 5. Use candles carefully (light only, not heat)
Candles can:
- Provide light
- Help mentally (it feels warmer)
But:
- They do NOT heat a room safely
- Keep them away from curtains and blankets
- Never sleep with candles burning
🍲 6. Eat and drink warm things if you can
If you still have a safe way to heat food:
- Soup
- Tea
- Hot chocolate
- Oatmeal
Warm food helps your body stay warm from the inside.
Even without heat, eating regular meals helps your body keep producing warmth.
🧍 7. Stay together
If you live with other people:
Stay in the same room.
Your combined body heat actually makes a difference in a closed space.
If you’re alone, stay bundled and avoid moving from room to room.
🐶 8. Bring pets inside your warm area
Pets get cold fast too.
Let them sleep with you or in your warm zone — it helps both you and them.
🔋 9. Save phone battery for emergencies
- Turn on low-power mode
- Lower screen brightness
- Close apps you aren’t using
Use your phone mainly for:
- emergency alerts
- checking restoration updates
For storm alerts and warnings in Massachusetts, follow the .
🛏️ 10. The safest way to sleep during a cold outage
Before bed:
- Put on fresh dry clothes
- Wear socks and a hat
- Use multiple thin blankets instead of one heavy one
If you have a sleeping bag, use it — they hold heat better than normal blankets.
⚠️ Important warning signs of cold stress
If someone has:
- uncontrollable shivering
- confusion
- slurred speech
- extreme tiredness
That can be early hypothermia.
Get them warmer immediately and seek help if needed.
✔️ Quick Blizzard Power-Outage Warmth Checklist
- ✅ One room only
- ✅ Layers + hat + socks
- ✅ Blankets under and over you
- ✅ No grills or stoves indoors
- ✅ Warm food if possible
- ✅ Phones on low power
Local reminder for Plymouth County
Blizzards along the coast can bring heavy wet snow and strong wind, which often leads to longer outages than expected. Plan as if you may be without power overnight — or longer.
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