Winter has not officially started, but recent storms have impacted thousands of households and businesses. Whether it be the storm that occurred the week of Thanksgiving or the one that happened over the weekend, local and state governments can benefit from a continuity of operations plan.

Since last Wednesday, this storm system was predicted to cause issues for 32 million Americans due to freezing rain and snow that could delay travel and cause power outages, Property Casualty 360 reported.

Moisture from the the Gulf of Mexico and Canada had states like Missouri, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Texas declare a state of emergency, but weather conditions continued to cause a slew of concerns. For example, more than 400 flights were canceled at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, forcing many travelers to stay at their terminals overnight. 

In Pennsylvania, an accident involving about 50 vehicles occurred on the Turnpike, according to NBC News. Over in Virginia, the ice storm was considered an historic event.

"This forecast is very concerning to us," Laura Southard, state Emergency Management spokeswoman, told the source. "I've worked multiple disasters, but I've never worked an ice storm with a forecast like this. It's just really important for everybody to take extra precautions."

Since then, the storm has made its way toward the mid-Atlantic and Northeast, which may impact the Monday morning commute. Even though this system has significantly weakened to freezing rain, Property Casualty 360 explained that another storm is in the forecast for the upcoming weekend as well.

Government agencies that want to maximize their efforts during these types of occurrences can benefit from the assistance of business continuity consultants.