Waiting on Christmas gifts to come by mail? How the winter storm could impact delivery services
WAUWATOSA, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Those who saved their Christmas shopping for the last-minute are being met by a wintery roadblock.
As of Wednesday afternoon, a Winter Storm Warning is in effect for all of southeast Wisconsin beginning 9am Thursday through 6am Saturday.
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) is advising drivers to stay off the roads on Friday due to blowing snow and winds.
Mother nature encouraged shoppers to head to Mayfair Mall on Wednesday.
"Normally, I would have waited until probably like two days before Christmas or a day before, but I heard a couple of times that a storm is coming through. So, that has made me be more proactive in my planning," Remi Dada said.
Others relying on gifts to be delivered to their doorstep over the next couple of days may see delays.
CBS 58 asked popular delivery services how the forecasted winter storm will impact customers:
Amazon
Amazon is closely monitoring the reports of inclement weather, according to a statement.
"Our delivery promises factor in forecasted weather and delivery dates are shown transparently at checkout," Sam Stephenson, an Amazon spokesperson, said to CBS 58 in an email. "While the vast majority of deliveries make it to customers without issue, if something does occur, we work with customers directly to make it right."
The statement said customers making last-minute purchases should look for an "arrive by Christmas" message on the product page to ensure it arrives on time.
FedEx
FedEx is monitoring the weather and has contingency plans to keep team members safe while lessening any impact on service, according to a statement.
The company issued an active service disruption alert on Dec. 21 due to severe winter weather expected across the United States.
"The impact of severe winter weather forecasted for the FedEx Express hub cities of Indianapolis and Memphis could cause possible delays throughout the network," FedEx stated on its website.
Recipients waiting on packages that have already shipped can request to redirect their package to a FedEx location to be held for pickup.
Active service disruptions can be found here.
United Parcel Service
The United Parcel Service (UPS) has a team of meteorologists monitoring the weather and helping create contingency plans, according to a statement.
"Our drivers are trained to safely make deliveries, and if we cannot safely deliver to an area, we will resume service as soon as conditions permit," Karen Tomaszewski Hill, a UPS spokesperson, said to CBS 58 in an email.
Customers can track packages, leave delivery instructions and redirect packages to be picked up at a nearby UPS Access Point location.
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service (USPS) is monitoring conditions and preparing for potential impacts due to extreme conditions, according to a statement.
"Our letter carriers will make every effort to deliver their routes if they feel it is safe to do so. Their personal safety comes first. We are keeping a close eye on the situation and will continue to do so as the winter storm approaches," Byran Reeves, a USPS spokesperson, said to CBS 58 in an email.
USPS will suspend services if local, state or federal officials order mandatory evacuations or road closures.
The service asks customers to maintain a path clear of snow and ice to mailboxes.