Are you ready for the snow, the ice and the cold? After all, this is not Palm Beach. Yes, we’ve seen some moderate weather for this late in the year. Maybe it will stay that way. Maybe the lowest temperature we’ll see all winter will dip no lower than 30⁰ Fahrenheit (we’ve actually had night-time temperatures below that already).

Even as you read this, the upper Midwest is in the crosshairs of a major blizzard. In some areas of central Minnesota and west-central Wisconsin, the snow is exceeding 12 inches. Sacred Heart, Minn., had 17.3 inches of snow as of 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 9. Temperatures could even drop below zero in the eastern Dakotas and western Minnesota.

The storm front driving across the upper Midwest, along with all the other storm fronts this winter, may stay to the north. For that matter, the Cubs might really win the World Series next year. Neither is a real good bet, though.

We’re bound to have some cold and snow this winter. We could even have a colder winter, with or without heavy snow. In that case, it’s not just a good idea that you’re prepared – it’s imperative.

Preparing for winter starts with making sure your vehicle is up to the task. This includes a thorough inspection of your antifreeze, charging and starting systems, your brakes and tires, suspension and steering. It’s not a bad idea to make sure the car is well tuned, also.

“When the temperature drops low enough, almost any car can have trouble starting,” said Denny Norton, the owner of Performance Unlimited, the Ringwood based auto repair shop. “If the car isn’t tuned properly, as it gets colder, that’s when you’ll see the difference. The cold has a way of testing our vehicles.”

Norton recommends bringing your car in to a trusted auto repair shop. He said that an experienced auto repair technician, with the proper equipment, can test your car’s systems before the weather does.

“If you car won’t start in the cold of winter that’s potentially more than an inconvenience,” he said. “That can be downright dangerous, depending on the circumstances.”

For more information, feel free to give Denny a call at Performance Unlimited: 815-728-0343.