With many more inches of snow expected to hit Louisville on Friday, residents should prepare their cars ahead of the weather.
A Winter Storm Warning is in effect for Louisville between 4 a.m. Friday to 7 a.m. Saturday. Another 5-6 inches of snowfall are expected to hit the city on Friday, according to the National Weather Service.
In lieu of the snow expected, commuters should prepare their car before the weather hits:
What to do if you park outside
Before the winter storm hits, be sure you have removed your ice scraper and deicer from inside your car. If your locks ice over, these two essential items won’t do you any good if they are inside your frozen car.
How to prevent ice from forming on your windshield this winter
If you know ice is on the way, go out to your car and cover your windshield. Use a tarp, large towel or old sheet to keep ice from accumulating. AAA suggests holding the cover in place using the wiper blades, weights, magnets or some other method so it will not blow off.
In a pinch, you could also use your rubber floor mats to keep ice from forming on the windshield. But AAA warns that dirty covers may damage your vehicle’s paint, so covers should only be used when little to no snowfall is expected.
“To aid in ice prevention and ease removal,” AAA says, “some [people] soak cloth windshield covers in a solution of one tablespoon salt to one quart water.”
Some people also make a homemade windshield pretreatment of three parts white vinegar to one part water. Apply the mix with a spray bottle the evening before and then wipe it off.
AAA says leaving the liquid on the glass doesn’t help because its freezing point is just barely lower than that of water, and some glass professionals caution that extended exposure to liquid vinegar may cause micropitting of the windshield glass.
Crazy as it may sound, some recommend rubbing an onion or potato on the windscreen. The sugar from the onion or potato creates a barrier over the window and helps to break down the molecules, which favor the melting process, so you’ll come out in the morning and there won’t be any ice or snow on there.
TIP: If it’s raining the night before temperatures start to freeze, it’s likely your pretreatment solutions will wash away before doing their job.
To prevent your car’s door handle from freezing, cover the handle with duct tape to protect the keyhole. Remember, tape won’t stick to a wet surface so dry off the area first and don’t press down too hard. You don’t want to ruin your paint.
WD-40 spray is also effective at keeping your car door lock lubricated and frost-free. Simply spray a little into the lock and it should prevent ice and frost buildup for several days. Don’t forget about the lock of your trunk.
If you don’t have time to run out for WD-40, here’s a homemade lubricant that will do the same job: Fill an 8-ounce spray bottle with one part water to three parts olive or sunflower oil. Shake it to mix, and spray away.
Louisville, Kentucky, weather forecast
Thursday afternoon weather
Sunny, with a high near 26 degrees. Wind chill values as low as 9 degrees. Calm wind.
Thursday night weather
Increasing clouds, with a low around 14 degrees. Calm wind.
Friday weather
Snow, mainly after 1 p.m. High near 31 degrees. Calm wind. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.
Friday night weather
Snow before 1 a.m. Low around 22 degrees. Calm wind becoming west around 6 mph after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible.
Saturday weather
Partly sunny, with a high near 31 degrees. West wind around 7 mph.
Saturday night weather
Mostly cloudy, with a low around 16 degrees.
Sunday weather
Mostly sunny, with a high near 36 degrees.
Sunday night weather
Mostly cloudy, with a low around 25 degrees.
Marina Johnson contributed to this story.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: How to prepare your car for incoming snow conditions in Louisville