Snow expected to hit Conn. twice this week

Connecticut could get its first back-toback winter storms of the year this week.

Monday is expected to bring rain mixing with snow in the afternoon and a 90 percent chance of precipitation, according to the National Weather Service. The 50s felt in some areas on Sunday will give way to highs in the upper 30s Monday during the day, and lows in the 30s Monday night, according to the weather service.

The National Weather Service anticipates that temperatures above freezing will keep the snowfall totals down during Monday’s storm. A mixture of rain and show is expected, with mostly rain near the coast. Inland areas could get up to an inch of snow, while elevations of 750 to 1,000 feet could see up to two inches, according to the weather service.

Heavier snow is expected Wednesday into Thursday, with forecasts calling for 1 to 3 inches during the day Wednesday, and then the possibility of another 8 to 12 inches overnight into Thursday. The chance of precipitation is 60 percent during the day Wednesday, increasing to 80 percent overnight, with daytime winds of 10 to 20 miles per hour increasing to 15 to 25 miles per hour as night falls, according to the National Weather Service.

Winter does not officially begin until Monday, Dec. 21.

“The only thing that an early season storm does is if it’s a big storm it gives us a little less opportunity to practice,” New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker said. “New Haven has been doing this for years.”

There has been little turnover, Elicker said, involving Public Works Director Jeff Pescosolido and his staff. And last year, there were very few storms taxing the city’s budget.

Elicker urged residents to sign up for emergency alerts via the city’s website, for instance to learn where parking is banned or roads that closed.

“We have different scenarios, depending on the quantity of snow, for parking bans,:” Elicker said. “If there’s significant storm we will have downtown parking ban, where people won’t be allowed to park on streets, and corridors bans.”

Parking can also be limited to the even side of residential streets.

A little snow Monday could be followed by a lot more Wednesday into Thursday as winter takes its first real shot at Connecticut this season.

“A lot of those streets are pretty narrow, so they’re difficult to clear, and difficult for people to park if plowed in,” Elicker said.

School parking lots can be opened during parking bans, the mayor said, as can municipal lots at a reduced rate.

Forecasters are watching and updating the path of the storm. Some models show the storm tracking more to the south and east, reducing the possible total accumulation.

“Forecast mentions almost all snow at this point with a good chance of significant accumulation, with the caveat that the high to the NE may be modeled too strong, and if it does retreat more quickly that could allow for a more N/W low track, as well as potential for mixed precip for the NYC metro area and Long Island as marine air and possibly warmer air aloft get involved,” according to the National Weather Service Forecast Discussion Sunday.