Extreme cold forecast to affect OHIO, surrounding region

The National Weather Service is forecasting extreme cold conditions that will impact much of the region this week, and we encourage all OHIO students, faculty, staff, families and visitors to remain aware of the anticipated frigid forecast and to make appropriate plans for staying safe and warm.

OHIO employees who do not feel it is safe to travel to campus should follow normal call-off procedures or contact their supervisor. If you are uncertain about the status of an upcoming campus or community event, please contact the event organizer(s) directly.

Helpful tips for staying safe and warm:

• Dress in layers in order to adjust to both campus building temperatures as well as temperatures outdoors.
• Give yourself extra time to arrive to your destination. When walking on campus, travel slowly if needed.
• Take small steps, and "walk like a penguin."
• Avoid extended time outdoors to avoid frostbite or hypothermia.
• Additional cold weather safety tips from the National Weather Service are available online.

Additional tips and information

Living on Campus

• Housing and Residence Life staff stand ready to continue to serve as a resource for students as they monitor temperatures in their rooms and/or experience heating concerns.
• Students with heating concerns are encouraged to connect with their in-hall staff.

Living off Campus

• Students living off campus are encouraged to contact their landlord or property manager if they have concerns about heating and/or freezing pipes.
• If you choose to use a space heater or other electric heating device, plug it directly into a wall outlet and avoid using extension cords or power strips. Always place these devices on flat, stable, non-flammable surfaces, and never leave them unattended or in use while you’re away or sleeping.

Commuting to Campus

• Plan your travel ahead of time and monitor all weather conditions.
• Be very cautious on roadways, sidewalks and other surfaces.
• Keep all vehicle windows and mirrors free of snow, ice and salt spray to maximize visibility.

Utilizing Campus Facilities

• OHIO’s Facilities Management team has been working diligently since the start of the semester to respond to heating-related requests across our campus facilities, and they appreciate your patience as such requests continue to be monitored, assessed and remediated in a timely fashion.
• Those with immediate concerns regarding campus facilities are encouraged to contact Facilities directly at 740-593-2911.

The University will continue to monitor the forecasted weather conditions. In the event adverse winter weather were anticipated to strongly impact University operations, either in the coming days or at any point in the semester, we will notify all students, faculty and staff through a combination of OHIO Alerts, text and email.