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<br />Ramsey County | Multi-Jurisdiction Hazard Mitigation Plan 70 <br />Impact on Property, Facilities, and Infrastructure <br />• Extensive damage or destruction of residential, commercial, and industrial buildings, including <br />critical infrastructure, including power lines, water supply systems, and transportation networks. <br />• High repair and reconstruction costs, leading to prolonged recovery periods. <br />Impact on the Environment <br />• Uprooting of trees and destruction of natural habitats, impacting local wildlife. <br />• Potential for hazardous material spills from damaged industrial sites, contaminating soil and <br />water sources. <br />Impact on the Economy of the Jurisdiction <br />• Economic losses due to business closures, property damage, and interruption of commercial <br />activities. <br />• Significant financial burden on local government and residents for recovery and rebuilding <br />efforts. <br />• Potential decline in property values and loss of tax revenue. <br />Impact on Public Confidence in the Jurisdiction's Governance <br />• Public scrutiny and potential dissatisfaction with the government's preparedness and response <br />efforts. <br />3.12 Winter Weather Hazards <br />3.12.1 PROFILE <br />According to the National Weather Service (NWS), a winter weather event is “a winter weather <br />phenomenon (such as snow, sleet, ice, wind chill) that impacts public safety, transportation, and/or <br />commerce”. The most common types of winter weather phenomena experienced in Ramsey County are <br />described below. <br />• Blizzard: A dangerous winter storm that contains large amounts of snow or blowing snow, <br />coupled with winds above 35mph and visibility less than a quarter of a mile. <br />• Extreme cold: The NWS doesn't have a set definition for extreme cold, but instead calibrates the <br />point at which forecasters warn residents based on the region's climate. In Ramsey County, the <br />NWS issues “extreme cold” warnings when it feels like -25° F or colder across a wide area for <br />several hours. <br />• Ice storm: A storm that deposits at least .25” of ice on exposed surfaces. <br />Note that a single winter weather incident may include one or more of these, or other, winter <br />phenomena. <br />3.12.2 LOCATION <br />All communities within Ramsey County are vulnerable to winter weather.