Planning Your Clinton Correctional Visit During Winter Storm Season (Checklist)

Upstate New York winters don't mess around. When the state issues severe cold or winter-storm alerts, roads can go from clear to hazardous fast - visibility drops, services get disrupted, and what looked like a routine drive becomes risky. A little extra planning helps you get there safely and avoids the frustration of showing up to find everything's changed.

Check 48 72

• ✓ Check New York State emergency alerts for winter storm or extreme cold updates
• ✓ Watch the National Weather Service forecast for the area you’ll be driving through (not just where you’re leaving from)
• ✓ Turn on weather and emergency alerts on your phone so you don’t miss overnight changes
• ✓ Use more than one source (state alerts + weather forecast) so you can spot differences early
• ✓ If you’re traveling a long distance, check conditions along the whole route, including mountain passes and rural stretches

Don't check the forecast once and call it good. In the 48–72 hours before your visit, look for updates a few times a day - morning, afternoon, and the night before you leave. Winter systems shift fast. One forecast update can take you from "looks fine" to "stay home."

1. Confirm visitation is still on - Use the facility’s official phone number or official web page to verify there aren’t weather-related changes.
2. Ask what happens if you’re delayed - If roads are slow, you’ll want to know whether late arrivals are turned away or re-scheduled.
3. Plan a backup way to check updates - If cell service is spotty on the drive, write down key numbers and save any official pages you’ll need to reference.
4. Re-check the morning of travel - Even if everything looked fine the night before, verify again before you start the car.

What to Pack

• ✓ Warm layers, hat, gloves, and winter boots (assume you may be outside longer than planned)
• ✓ Extra socks and a dry change of clothes in the car
• ✓ Fully charged phone + car charger (and a power bank if you have one)
• ✓ Water and shelf-stable snacks for delays
• ✓ Blanket(s) for passengers in case you’re stuck or waiting with the engine off
• ✓ Ice scraper and snow brush
• ✓ Small shovel (especially if you’ll be parking outdoors)
• ✓ Basic vehicle emergency kit (flashlight, reflective triangles/flares, jumper cables)
• ✓ Paper with key info written down (facility name, address, and the official number you plan to call)
• ✓ Extra travel time built into your plan - leave earlier than you normally would

1. Stop and reassess before you commit to the drive - If the forecast worsens or alerts escalate, make the safer call early.
2. Save proof of what happened - Take screenshots of weather alerts, road closure notices, and any official updates you relied on.
3. Contact the facility to ask about next steps - Rescheduling rules vary, so get instructions directly from official channels.
4. Write down your timeline - Note when you checked alerts, when you called, and when you turned around or decided not to travel.
5. Adjust your plan for the next attempt - If you’re rebooking travel or childcare, build in more buffer time and keep monitoring conditions.

For winter-storm days, stick to official sources for updates: New York State emergency alerts for current declarations and advisories, plus the official corrections department/facility page for any visitation changes. Check again on the day you travel - conditions and operational decisions can shift quickly, especially when severe cold or storms move in.

• ✓ Check New York State emergency alerts before you leave
• ✓ Check the latest local forecast along your route (not just your home forecast)
• ✓ Confirm visit status through the facility’s official phone line or official web page right before you drive