As temperatures drop below freezing Monday night, there is a chance you could lose power because of all the ice.

We spoke with a representative from Huntsville Utilities to learn why you could lose power.

Huntsville Utilities has already gotten reports of tree limbs striking primary service lines, and it could continue overnight as ice continues to accumulate.

That's why it's important to prepare now, so you do not have to leave your home at night, because the roads will be slick.

Huntsville Utilities is concerned that accidents might happen and utility poles could be hit, causing power outages.

"Our system is designed to handle up to a quarter inch of ice accumulation. Anything beyond that, we get really nervous because the lines could get heavy enough that they'll just come down," said Joe Gehrdes, Community Relations Director at Huntsville Utilities.

If you do see a power line down, do not touch it because it could still be a live wire. Instead, contact the electrical company for that area.

If your power does go out, be aware it might take longer to fix than normal because of the road conditions. So, if you decide to use a portable generator at your home, make sure it is up to date and that it is in a well-ventilated area, because the generator produces carbon monoxide.

"There are some cautions to have with portable generators. One of the main ones is don't plug it in to your house unless you have had a switch put in specifically for that by a licensed electrician, because that can back-feed back into our system and injure or even kill light men as they're trying to reconnect the power," said Michael Cornelison, Director of Communications at Joe Wheeler EMC.

It's important to prepare ahead of time, though, and think about how you're going to stay warm inside with freezing temperatures.

Like using your fireplace or a space heater if you have access to a generator.

"If the power does go out to use if you have available a gas fireplace or a fireplace is a good way to do that. If you have a kerosene heater, make sure it's up to date and that you're following all the recommendations for that. You have to be real careful with those," said Cornelison.

It's recommended that you do not use old space heaters or generators that might not be up to code, and make sure you're properly using the equipment.