"Now is the time to prepare, when it's lovely, and clear, and bright outside," says Sally Ray, Regional Chief Development Officer for the Red Cross.

Forecasters with the National Weather Service predict the recent unseasonably warm weather to stick around for awhile longer. "Unfortunately, that pattern looks like it's going to maintain intself for some time," says Scott Curl, a Forecast Meteorologist for the National Weather Service of Norman.

But, don't get too comfortable! "It doesn't mean that we couldn't get some very cold air that would still affect Oklahoma and produce some snow and ice," says Curl.

"You never know what's going to happen in Oklahoma," says Ray.

"One day we could be 85 degrees, and the next day we're 45 degrees," adds Curl.

Red Cross officials say you should put together a winter disaster kit with warm clothing like coats, hats, scarves and blankets. "Plus the usual things-- first aid, medicines, cell phone chargers, that sort of thing," says Ray.

Also in your kit, you should have flashlights, batteries, a weather radio, canned food, and bottled water. You should also keep an extra kit in your car. "Bags of kitty litter and sand would be a good thing to keep in your car to help you get out," says Ray.

Next, you should have a plan. "Meet with your family and have a plan for what are you going to do. Sit down with your family and talk about it. For my family, my son's responsible for flashlights and candles, and my husband's responsible for the communications piece, and I'm responsible for making sure that we have all of the blankets and things we need," says Ray.

"Two years ago, we had a couple of storm systems back in late January and into February that really shut down a large portion of the state with blizzard-type conditons," says Curl.

"Where there's a lot of ice, that tends to result in power outages and they can be extensive," says Ray. "Always stay informed. Pay attention to news stations and pay attention to the weather."

It's also recommended you winterize your home. "Make sure that your heater is prepared and safe to run," says Ray. "When it's cold outside, open your cabinet doors where you have facets and drains, so that you prevent the pipes from freezing. There are things that you can put over your outside faucets that will keep them warmer and prevent the pipes from freezing up."

Though the weather is mild now, forecasters are expecting systems this winter that will bring snow and ice. "Winter weather is extremely dangerous and we want to make sure that people are prepared for it. If you begin to prepare when the problems hit, then it may be too late and you may not have everything that you need," says Ray.