The Philippine Embassy in Washington and the Philippine Consulate General in New York on Thursday have advised Filipino communities to take necessary precautions and heed warnings from local authorities as a snowstorm approaches.
In an advisory, the embassy cautioned that the storm could bring heavy snowfall, hazardous travel conditions, and extreme cold over the weekend.
“The safety of Filipino nationals is the Embassy’s priority. Please monitor local weather updates, prepare for cold temperatures, and limit travel during the storm,” the advisory read.
The embassy and consulate also urged Filipinos to contact them for assistance in emergencies.
For emergencies, the Embassy in Washington provided the following contact numbers: 202-368-2767 or 202-769-8049.
For those needing emergency assistance, the Consulate’s hotline in New York is +1 (917) 294-0196.
Reports indicate that the storm system is expected to create a significant ice storm from Texas through parts of the South, potentially bringing around a foot (30 centimeters) of snow from Oklahoma to Washington, D.C.; New York; and Boston.
This will be followed by a blast of bitterly cold air, risking wind chills as low as minus-50 degrees Fahrenheit (minus-46 degrees Celsius) in parts of Minnesota and North Dakota.
The storm is expected to clear from most areas by late Sunday or early Monday. An Arctic blast from Canada will result in temperatures that could drop to 5 degrees below zero on Saturday in Fargo, North Dakota.
