Stranded in Your Car in a Winter Storm: What to Do, How to Stay Warm and How to Avoid Carbon Monoxide

Quick answer: if you are stranded in your car in a winter storm, stay with the vehicle unless help is clearly close by. Call 911 with your location, then make the car visible with a bright cloth on the antenna or door and the hood raised once snow stops falling. Run the engine about 10 minutes each hour for heat, with a window cracked slightly and the tailpipe cleared of snow to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. Stay covered, keep moving your arms and legs, drink fluids and watch everyone for signs of hypothermia and frostbite.

Winter storms strand drivers every year, and not only on remote rural roads. Whiteouts, jackknifed trucks and sudden ice can stop traffic on city expressways and bridges for hours. A car is a reasonable shelter if you use it correctly, and a dangerous one if snow blocks the exhaust or someone walks off into a blizzard.

This guide pulls together advice from the National Weather Service (NWS), Ready.gov and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It is part of our severe weather preparedness guide, which covers winter storms, hurricanes, floods and heat.

Sources: National Weather Service winter safety and “Winter Weather Safety: During and After a Storm” guidance; Ready.gov Winter Weather; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention winter weather safety, including guidance on staying safe in a stranded vehicle, hypothermia and frostbite, and carbon monoxide poisoning prevention; Federal Highway Administration and state transportation department winter driving guidance. General information, not medical advice. Call 911 in an emergency. Checked October 2026.

The First Five Minutes: Stop, Call, Stay

When the car will not move, take a breath and work through these steps in order.

1. Pull as far off the travel lanes as you safely can and turn on your hazard lights so other drivers and plows see you.
2. Call 911 if you are stuck, in danger or unable to reach help on your own. Give the road name, direction of travel, nearest exit or mile marker and any landmarks. If you do not know where you are, the dispatcher can often use your phone’s location.
3. Stay in the vehicle. The CDC advises staying in your car unless you know exactly where you are, how far it is to help and are certain you will improve your situation by leaving. The NWS gives similar guidance: do not try to walk to safety unless you can see a building close by.
4. Check the tailpipe before running the engine for heat. If snow has packed around it, clear it, but only if you can do so without walking into traffic or becoming disoriented.

The urge to walk for help is strong, especially when a gas station seems close. In blowing snow, distances are easy to misjudge, landmarks disappear and exposure builds quickly. Rescuers searching for stranded drivers look for vehicles first.

Why Staying With the Car Is Usually Safer

Ready.gov’s winter weather advice is simple: if you are trapped in your car, stay inside. The vehicle gives you:

• Protection from wind, which drives down the felt temperature and speeds up heat loss.
• A visible target for plows, police and rescue crews.
• Supplies, if you packed a kit, plus a heater you can run in safe intervals.
• A place to wait without the risk of getting lost or being struck by traffic in low visibility.

The exception is immediate danger to the car itself, such as fire, a risk of being hit in an active travel lane with no shoulder, or rising water. In that case, move to a safer spot nearby and keep the car in sight if possible.

How to Run the Engine Without Risking Carbon Monoxide

Carbon monoxide (CO) is the most serious hidden risk in a stranded vehicle. It is colorless and odorless, and a blocked exhaust can push it into the cabin while you sit with the windows closed.

NWS and CDC guidance points to the same routine:

• Run the engine and heater for about 10 minutes each hour. That keeps you warmer while conserving fuel.
• Clear snow from the exhaust pipe before and during engine use. Recheck it after heavy snowfall or plowing.
• Open a window slightly, on the side away from the wind, while the engine runs to let in fresh air.
• Turn on the dome light at night while the engine is running so rescuers can see you, as the NWS recommends. Use it sparingly to save the battery.

Early CO poisoning can feel like the flu: headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea and confusion. If anyone in the car develops those symptoms while the engine runs, shut it off, open windows and call 911. Never sleep with the engine running in a car surrounded by snow. Our guide to carbon monoxide alarms explains CO risks at home.

Staying Warm While You Wait

Heat loss is the main threat once you are safely parked. The CDC and NWS suggest several low-tech ways to stay warmer:

Insulate and layer

Use whatever is in the car. Blankets, extra coats, hats and gloves come first. Floor mats, newspapers, maps and seat covers can be layered over legs and torso for insulation. Keep heads, hands and feet covered, since the body loses heat quickly from exposed skin.

Keep moving, gently

Move arms, legs, fingers and toes regularly to keep blood flowing. Clap hands, stamp feet and shift position. Avoid heavy exertion such as prolonged digging in deep snow; the NWS warns that overexertion in the cold puts strain on the heart and soaks clothing in sweat, which then chills you.

Huddle together

If more than one person is in the car, sit close and share blankets. Body heat is a real resource.

Drink, and do not eat snow

Fluids help the body generate heat and prevent dehydration. NWS guidance notes that eating snow lowers body temperature; if you must use snow for water, melt it first, for example in a container placed in a warm spot in the car.

Trying to Get Unstuck Without Making Things Worse

Sometimes the car is only stuck, not stranded. Winter driving guidance from state transportation departments describes a careful approach if you are in a safe spot off the travel lanes and conditions allow you to work outside briefly:

1. Straighten the front wheels so the tires roll in a line instead of plowing sideways into snow.
2. Clear snow from around the drive wheels and from under the car if it is resting on packed snow. Work in short bursts and rest often.
3. Add traction under the drive wheels with sand, non-clumping cat litter or the car’s floor mats.
4. Accelerate gently. Spinning the wheels fast polishes snow into ice and digs the tires deeper.
5. Try rocking slowly between forward and reverse if your owner’s manual allows it, easing off between shifts.

Stop if the car does not move after a few tries. Repeated attempts burn fuel you may need for heat, overheat the transmission and wear you out. Stay out of traffic lanes, keep the exhaust clear while the engine runs and get back inside the car if visibility drops or you start to feel chilled. When in doubt, call for help and wait in the vehicle.

Making Your Car Easy to Find

Rescuers and plow drivers need to see you, especially if the car is partly buried or pulled off the road.

• Tie a brightly colored cloth to the antenna or door, a step both the NWS and CDC recommend.
• Raise the hood once the snow stops falling to signal distress.
• Turn on hazard lights periodically, balancing visibility with battery life.
• Keep the car clear of snow on the roof and windows when you can do it safely, so it does not blend into a snowbank.
• Watch for crews and use your horn or lights to get their attention when you see one.

Watching for Hypothermia and Frostbite

Cold injuries can develop in a car, especially over many hours, with wet clothing or when the engine cannot run. The CDC lists these warning signs.

Condition	Warning signs in adults	What to do while waiting
Hypothermia	Shivering, exhaustion, confusion, fumbling hands, memory loss, slurred speech, drowsiness	Call 911 if not already done; warm the center of the body first with blankets and skin-to-skin contact; give warm, non-alcoholic drinks only if the person is alert
Frostbite	Redness or pain in skin, then white or grayish-yellow skin, skin that feels unusually firm or waxy, numbness	Get the area covered and warm; do not rub it or use direct heat from a heater vent that could burn numb skin

Infants may show bright red, cold skin and very low energy. Body temperature below 95°F is a medical emergency. For the full first aid steps, see our guide to hypothermia and frostbite warning signs and first aid.

Saving Your Phone and Battery

Your phone is your link to help, so treat its battery as a limited supply.

• Make the essential calls first, to 911 and then to someone who knows your route.
• Lower screen brightness and close apps you do not need.
• Text instead of calling when possible; texts can go through when voice calls struggle on congested networks.
• Charge while the engine runs if you have a car charger, rather than draining the car battery with the engine off.
• Keep the phone warm, inside a pocket, since cold drains batteries faster.

If you carry a power bank, keep it charged at home and inside a coat pocket during the trip. Our guide to charging your phone without power has more options.

What to Keep in Your Car Before Winter

Ready.gov and the NWS recommend keeping a winter emergency kit in every vehicle. A practical list:

• Blankets or sleeping bags and extra hats, gloves and socks
• Bottled water and high-calorie, non-perishable snacks
• A flashlight with extra batteries
• A phone charger and a charged power bank
• An ice scraper and a small snow shovel
• Sand or non-clumping cat litter for traction
• Jumper cables
• A first aid kit and any essential medications
• A bright cloth or flag for signaling
• Hand and foot warmers
• A whistle

For a longer checklist that covers all seasons, see our car emergency kit checklist.

Lowering the Odds of Getting Stranded

Prevention is still the best plan. Guidance from the NWS and state transportation agencies points to a few habits:

• Check the forecast and road conditions before leaving, and delay travel during winter storm warnings when you can.
• Tell someone your route and arrival time, especially for longer drives.
• Keep the gas tank near full in winter, which the NWS notes also helps prevent ice in the tank and fuel lines and gives you fuel to run the heater if you get stuck.
• Winterize the car: battery, tires, wiper blades, washer fluid rated for freezing temperatures and working lights.
• Sign up for local alerts and keep a weather alert app or radio handy. Our guide to emergency alerts and weather radio sign-ups explains the options.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I leave my car to walk for help in a snowstorm?

Usually not. The CDC says to stay in the car unless you know exactly where you are, how far it is to help and are certain leaving will improve your situation. The NWS advises walking only if a building is close by and visible.

How often should I run the engine if I am stuck in snow?

About 10 minutes each hour, according to NWS and CDC guidance, with the exhaust pipe cleared of snow and a window opened slightly for fresh air.

Can a car fill with carbon monoxide if the tailpipe is blocked by snow?

Yes. A blocked exhaust can send carbon monoxide into the cabin. Clear the tailpipe before running the engine and get fresh air immediately if anyone develops headache, dizziness or nausea.

How do I signal rescuers that I am stranded?

Tie a bright cloth to the antenna or door, raise the hood after the snow stops, use hazard lights and the dome light at night when the engine runs, and call 911 with your location.

Is it safe to eat snow for water while stranded?

The NWS advises against eating snow because it lowers body temperature. Melt it first if you need water and have no other supply.

The Bottom Line

If a winter storm stops you on the road, the car is your shelter. Call for help, stay put, keep the exhaust clear, run the heater in short intervals with fresh air, make the car visible and keep everyone warm and moving. A stocked winter kit and a full tank turn a frightening wait into a manageable one.