Inclement Weather Information

Operating Status and Local Information

• Snow and Dismissal Procedures — OPM
• NIH Dismissal and Closure Resources and Guides — OD/OHR
• NIH Dismissal and Closure Definitions and FAQs — OD/OHR
• NIH Radio – AM 1660 — OD/ORS
• Severe Weather Information – Maryland Department of Transportation
  Area-wide road conditions, snow emergency plans, live traffic cameras, Maryland highway and traffic information, local weather station data.
• Traffic.nih.gov 
  Includes a Snow removal informational flyer complete with a snow removal priority map for campus roadways and entrances. Employees can determine which routes are safe inside and outside the campus. If you need special assistance during a snow event, please call the ORF Help Desk at 301-435-8000.
• Child Care, Opening and Closure Procedures for NIH Child Care Centers — OD/ORS
  NIH Child Care Centers' hours of operation will be modified to ensure that the centers are operating as normally as possible during disruptions of the Federal Government's operations.

Safety Tips

• Wear multiple layers of clothing under a warm jacket, gloves, a scarf, and a hat that covers your ears. Avoid footwear with hard leather soles. Soft rubber-soled shoes or boots are better on slick and slushy surfaces.
• When walking across campus, stay on plowed and treated sidewalks. Avoid walking on roadsides and through parking lots, especially between parked cars where ice patches may remain.
• Before crossing a street, make eye contact with any approaching drivers to ensure that they see you.
• Taking the campus shuttle bus is always a good idea in bad weather.
• When driving, keep well behind trucks spreading salt or sand. Spreader trucks often back up; if you are too close, the driver may not see you.
• Give yourself extra time to get where you want to go, whether driving to work or walking across campus.
• Remember — thinking ahead and being prepared will give you the best chance of having a safe and enjoyable winter season.

Preparing Your Car for Winter Weather

• Make sure your battery is relatively new and fully charged.
• Check your tires for a good amount of remaining tread life.
• Inspect your windshield wiper blades — they should be replaced yearly.
• Make sure your wiper fluid level is topped off with fluid that will not freeze.
• Always have available a sturdy ice scraper, preferably with a broom attachment, to clear ice and snow from all windows, hood, and roof.
• Carry in your trunk a blanket, extra gloves, jumper cables, and a bag of kitty litter for traction under spinning tires.