COLORADO SPRINGS — If you've got loose holiday decorations on the lawn or outside your home, heads up! We're watching for a potential wind event this weekend as a 4-day-long system approaches the Pikes Peak Region.
First Alert 5 Weather Meteorologist Casey Dorn predicts that winds will turn northwesterly and become stiff with 30-40 mph gusts on Saturday in Colorado Springs with the potential of 45-50 mph gusts in the foothills and Woodland Park.
Then on Sunday, we'll experience even stronger winds with gusts up to 45-50 mph in Colorado Springs and up to 65 mph gusts in Woodland Park.
Here are a few tips to keep your lightweight decorations and inflatables on your lawn this holiday season, according to Christmas Central.
Pick the right location
Since the wind is such a big challenge when it comes to inflatable decorations, try to avoid putting them up in the open. Instead, place the inflatables on flat ground in a spot protected from the wind.
If possible, set your inflatables next to walls or bushes to help try and block the wind. It helps if a large object is nearby like a fence or pole to help anchor your blow-up decorations.
Secure them with stakes
Ground stakes are a good way to keep your inflatables secure. Many inflatable decorations already come with tether lines and stakes, but you can buy extras for added security.
Pound the stakes into the ground as far as possible and connect the tether lines.
If your blow-up doesn't come with a grommet or D-ring to attach a safety line, you can still secure it using twine or lightweight rope. Just wrap the rope around the middle of the inflatable and attach it to the ground stakes. Make sure the rope isn't so tight that it distorts the shape of the decoration.
Add weights
Another way to secure your inflatable decorations is to weigh them down with bags of sand or gravel. Simply tie the bag to the inflatable using a tether line or rope. Anchor your blow-up in several spots to keep it from blowing away.
Tie them down
Alternatively to using ground stakes or weights, you could tie your inflatables to another secure object like a fence post, porch railing or tree. While the decoration is inflated, wrap twine or lightweight rope around the middle and attach the other end to a nearby object.
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