The bright red banner at the top of The Weather Channel’s homepage reads, “ALERT: Historic, Crippling Blizzard Ahead.” I’m not a meteorologist, but that description might be a bit hyperbolic; this weekend’s storm could indeed be historic (forecasters are expecting snowfalls to rival the Blizzard of ’78), but “crippling” is a matter of preparedness. We can’t control how much snow will fall, but we can definitely control how we’ll respond.

Make no mistake, this is likely to be a big, nasty storm, one that could dump several feet of snow on Somerville and Cambridge. But with the proper knowledge and an ample supply of hot cocoa and board games, we can all get through this.

If you live in Cambridge and own a car, you should be aware of the City’s parking restrictions. Cars parked in snow emergency zones will be ticketed and towed to make room for snowplows. If you depend on on-street parking, parking at the One Kendall Square garage is free from 4pm Friday to 8pm Saturday. Free parking: it’s not just a “Monopoly” space anymore!

Somerville has already declared a snow emergency, effective tonight at 10pm, and Somerville public schools will be closed tomorrow. The City of Somerville’s website has everything you need to know about the snow emergency, and you can also follow the City of Somerville’s 311 line on Twitter (@311Somerville) for up-to-the-second updates.

I encourage everyone to limit their travel as much as possible during the storm. Unless it’s absolutely essential, you should wait to drive until the roads are plowed and salted. Be kind to one another, be courteous to your neighbors, and be helpful to those who could use a hand shoveling their steps. Stay warm!