The City of Monroe is expected to experience a drop in temperatures below freezing overnight this week. It's important to be prepared for winter weather before it arrives.

Here are a few tips to keep you and your family safe during winter weather: 

• Dress in layers. 
• Stay dry. Change wet clothing to stop the loss of body heat. 
• Cover exposed skin. Wear hats, mittens and scarves. 
• Limit time outside.
• Bring pets inside, or make sure they have warm shelter and unfrozen water. 

It's also important to protect your home and prevent frozen pipes by performing proactive maintenance before winter weather arrives. Here are a few tips to protect your home:

• Winterize your home by insulating walls and attics, caulking and weather-stripping doors and windows. Install storm windows or cover windows with plastic. 
• Run generators outside ONLY. The fumes can be deadly. 
• Stock up on heating fuel. 
• Know how to shut off water valves in case a pipe bursts. 
• Leave indoor faucets dripping to prevent pipes from freezing. 
• Use pipe wraps to protect pipes in unheated areas or anywhere they are exposed to freezing temperatures, especially attics, garages and crawl spaces.

You can find more information on preventing frozen pipes by clicking here. 

To learn more about preparing for winter weather, visit North Carolina Emergency Management's website here. 

To learn more about promoting personal health and safety during extreme cold, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's website here.