So around the Hampton Roads area, we are expecting a snow blizzard. Yikes! And people are going crazy in every store trying to decide what they need to buy and some are buying very unnecessary things. I'm here to help in case anyone reading has this situation and needs help on what to buy.

1. You need to buy water.

Water is the most important thing that one needs to buy in case of any emergency similar to any type of storm. It's the most important survival item. In most snow storms, there is a chance that the water pipelines will freeze so just in case its super duper necessary to have tons of water on hand. If you do end up running out of water and have a fireplace, you can go outside and get some snow and melt it over the fireplace to make some water.

2. Of course, you need food.

Food is also important. The best foods to buy are the non-perishable food items. This would be almost everything the grocery store that is not in the fridges or freezers. It's always best to buy these foods because you might not have access to power if the power goes out. You wouldn't be able to cook anything. A couple examples of non- perishable food items would be dry fruits, canned food, crackers, bread, crackers and things of that sort. Make sure you also have a non-electrical can opener handy if you buy canned foods. Also it is good to have some fruits such as apples, oranges and bananas because they tend to not go bad as quick as other fruits and tend to be the ones that sell out the most in preparation for a winter storm.

3. Make sure you have Rock Salt.

Rock salt is a type of salt used to melt snow. A lot of people tend to buy this to keep snow off of their porches and walkways. Snow is very hazardous because when the temperature drops, it tends to freeze over into ice and create black ice making the roads and street very dangerous to drive on. Rock salt lessen this danger.

4. Stay off the roads unless you absolutely have to go somewhere

It is important that vehicles try to remain off the roads because of the hazardous conditions. Also be considerate to the plows trying to clear the roads, They cannot clear the roads if people are constantly trying to drive back and forth. If you do have to go somewhere make sure that you bring food, water, a blanket and your phone charger in case of any emergencies.

These are just some helpful tips for people in preparation of a winter storm.