Wichita, are you ready for the snow and cold?

Monday’s forecast for Wichita and the rest of Kansas includes rain and then snow.

A mix of snow and rain is expected to start falling Monday afternoon, with just snow into late evening. This would affect Wichita and portions of central, south-central and southeast Kansas. Below-freezing temperatures overnight are forecast for the rest of the week, too.

Here are ways you can be more prepared for the cold temperatures and snow that are expected:

How do I get my car ready for the cold?

Gas tanks should also be kept near full to avoid the gas lines from freezing, Sedgwick County Emergency Management Director Julie Stimson has said.

The general rule is not to go below half a tank of gas.

If you become stranded, stay in the vehicle and run the motor and heater roughly every 10 minutes per hour to conserve fuel, she said. Make sure snow isn’t blocking the exhaust pipe, otherwise carbon monoxide poisoning could be a concern.

Also, occasionally crack the window to let air circulate; that will also help with any threat of carbon monoxide and stagnant air and also circulate the warm air throughout the vehicle, she said.

Drivers should also top off their vehicles with an antifreeze or coolant and winter-blend washer fluid.

A lack of antifreeze or coolant, which lowers the freezing point of the cooling system in winter, can result in “serious and expensive damage to the vehicle’s engine” and proper washer fluid can prevent damage to the windshield washer system, according to AAA Kansas.

Tire pressure should also be monitored, since it can drop 1 to 2 pounds per square inch with each 10-degree drop in temperatures, AAA Kansas reported.

Additionally, car batteries lose power as the temperatures drop.

The organization recommends keeping jumper cables in your vehicle as part of an emergency road kit. The kit should also include:

• Phone programmed with rescue apps and important phone numbers, including family and emergency services

• Car charger

• Drinking water

• First-aid kit

• Non-perishable snacks for you and pets

• Bag of sand, salt and cat litter or traction mats to help if your vehicle gets stuck

• Snow shovel

• Blanket or sleeping bag

• Coat, gloves, hats, scarves and snow boots

• Flashlight with extra batteries

• Window washer solvent – winter formulation with antifreeze components

• Ice scraper with brush

• Cloth or roll of paper towels

• Flares or reflective triangles

• Toolkit with screwdrivers, pliers and an adjustable wrench

AAA also recommends having snow tires, winter wiper blades and putting a door lubricant on the locks to keep them from freezing.

How do I protect my home when it’s cold

Mobile homes and houses with a crawl space are the main concerns for frozen pipes, John Clark has said, adding that it’s a good time to ensure crawl space doors are closed.

Clark, the training director for the Wichita-based Plumbers and Pipefitters Union Local 441, said pipes inside a basement aren’t as likely to freeze.

Insulating the pipes, including ones along exterior walls in all types of homes, can help prevent pipes from freezing. Hardware stores carry pipe insulation, but blankets and towels can also serve as an insulator, Stimson said.

With more worrisome pipes, like those exposed on mobile homes, a heating cable that wraps around the pipes and plugs in can be used as additional protection to or in lieu of insulation, Clark said.

If you expect to leave the house for an extended time, set the temperature to no lower than 50 degrees on homes with a basement and 60 degrees on mobile homes and ones with a crawl space, he said.

Blankets and plastic around the windows can help reduce drafts and keep out more cold air.

When temperatures drop below 20 degrees, cabinet doors below faucets should be opened to allow warmer air to hit the pipes, he said. If pipes aren’t insulated or as an extra precaution, the faucet furthest from where the main water line connects to the house can be left dripping with cold water, he said. If you don’t know what faucet that is then keep all faucets dripping.

If the pipe does freeze, a hair dryer or other heating device can be used to defrost the pipe.

“Don’t use an open flame,” he said. “Don’t ever use an open flame.”

Faucets should be left dripping when you try to defrost the pipes.

Stimson said five to 10 drops a minute is a good rule of thumb for letting faucets drip. She also suggested space heaters be kept at least three feet away from anything that can catch on fire.

If a pipe does burst, turn off the water line. Depending on your skill set, that would probably be the time to call a plumber, who can also help defrost pipes.

Clark said they’ve had “relatively few calls so far” on frozen pipes but expects that number to increase as the prolonged cold lowers the ground temperature and pulls heat from below homes.

Hoses should have already been disconnected and sprinkler systems, winterized.

“If you are trying to do (the sprinklers) now, it is probably too late,” Clark said.

Anyone who loses power or heat and needs help connecting to resources can call the United Way of the Plains at 211, Stimson said.

How do I stay safe outside in the cold?

Extended exposure to the cold can cause hypothermia as well as frostbite.

Hypothermia symptoms include shivering, exhaustion, shaking hands, confusion, memory loss, slurred speech and drowsiness.

Anyone whose body temperature drops below 95 degrees should seek medical attention, Stimson said. While waiting for medical attention, remove any wet clothes, sip a non-alcoholic warm beverage, dry off and wrap up in a warm blanket, she said.

Frostbite includes the loss of feeling and changes in skin color and generally occurs around the nose, ears, face, fingers and toes, Stimson said, adding that a focused pain is a sign to get out of the cold.

She said to seek medical attention if the skin looks white, gray or yellow and feels numb, firm or waxy. The person should wait for help in a warm location and remove any wet clothes.

“Do not rub areas suspected of having frostbite,” Stimson said. “It can actually cause more damage.”

What can I do for my pets?

Ideally, pets should be brought inside during the expected winter weather, Stimson said. “But we understand not all people can do that.”

Outdoor pets will need a warm shelter with blankets or hay, she said. As a general rule, pets are uncomfortable outdoors when their owners are, she said.

Pets are also susceptible to frostbite. White and grayish skin and noticeable pain are signs the pet could need to taken to a veterinarian, she said.

Birds and chickens

Kansas State University Extension Poultry Specialist Scott Beyer has two rules when it comes to keeping backyard chickens from freezing: keep them out of the wind and keep them dry.

“Water will kill them in a minute” during cold temperatures, he said.

In regards to the wind, he said it is a good time for people to adjust any moveable coops out of the direct wind and make sure summer vents are latched down.

Eggs will freeze in a few hours, but chickens are resilient and can live through harsh weather if those two needs are met, he said.

As for the wild birds in the backyard, studies have shown that birds with access to bird feeders are more likely to survive cold weather by putting on the extra weight needed to survive.