Snowstorm bears down on state
Lamont urging Connecticut residents to ‘stay safe; stay home’
Gov. Ned Lamont warned residents Tuesday to “stay home” as Connecticut prepares for what is expected to be the biggest snowstorm the state has seen in years.
The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for all of Connecticut from 2 p.m. Wednesday to 1 p.m. Thursday.
The National Weather Service also increased its snowfall forecasts to between 12 and 18 inches. Western Connecticut is expected to have the highest snowfall totals in the state.
Snow is expected to start falling in Connecticut early Wednesday evening. Heavier snow is expected Wednesday evening after 6 p.m. in western Connecticut and
will last throughout the night until tapering off Thursday morning, the weather service said.
At times Wednesday night, the rate of snowfall could be 1 to 2 inches per hour.
“Stay safe; stay home,” Lamont said Tuesday. “Don’t get out on the road unless you absolutely have to.”
Joseph Giulietti, commissioner of the state Department of Transportation, said the agency is ready for the storm, with more than 1,300 operators and supervisors and 634 plows statewide.
“We’ve been watching this,” Giulietti said. “All indicators right now are showing that this thing could drop 12 to 18 inches on us.”
While more than 100 DOT employees are out of work because of the coronavirus, Giulietti said the void would be filled by contractors. The DOT is able to contact each truck on the road, including contractors, and track its position via GPS, he said.
But it’s been years since a single storm has dumped more than 1 foot of snow in Connecticut.
On Feb. 8, 2013, most of the state was buried under a foot of snow — and more, in some places. Highest totals from that storm were 40 inches in Hamden, 38 inches in Milford and 36.2 inches in Oxford.
The National Weather Service classified it as a winter storm for northern Connecticut and a blizzard for southern Connecticut.
Prior to that storm, the blizzard from Dec. 26 to Dec. 27, 2010 dumped as much as 2 feet of snow in some parts of Connecticut.
According to Tyler Roys, a senior meteorologist at AccuWeather, the snow on Wednesday is expected to start falling toward the end of the evening commute — about 6 or 7 p.m. — in southwestern Connecticut. Within a few hours, snow will be falling across the state, Roys said. He said parts of New London County could see rain mix with the snow at times.
“The evening commute for much of the state should be OK Wednesday,” Roys said.
He said the heaviest snow is most likely going to fall between 8 p.m. Wednesday and 7 or 8 a.m. Thursday. Snow is expected to continue to fall for a few hours Thursday morning before tapering off.
“The morning commute is the one I’m more concerned about,” Roys said.
But Paul Rizzo, bureau chief of highway operations for the state Department of Transportation, said plows have been ready for this moment.
“We’ve been prepared for winter since before Nov. 1,” Rizzo said Tuesday. “That’s typical for us. Snow and ice operation is a core function of what we do at the Department of Transpiration, especially the bureau of highway operations.”
He said the DOT has more than 600 plow trucks at 50 facilities around the state that are “ready to be put into action,” with about 200 contractors on standby.
The fleet includes various trucks, Rizzo said, and includes large tow plows that can clear 26 feet of roadway in one pass. He said a few of those large tow plows can do 36 feet in one pass.
This year, the DOT had a new system installed in the plow trucks that provides the drivers information on conditions and recommendations for road treatment, allowing for more efficient snow clearing, Rizzo said.
The system in the trucks provides drivers with a plethora of information on current conditions, including air and road temperatures, precipitation type, barometric pressure and dew-point.
“It’s another tool in our toolbag,” Rizzo said of the new technology.
The DOT will pre-treat the roads with a salt and water solution ahead of the storm, Rizzo said.
“Where it’s applied, it helps prevent a bond of ice forming between the road surface and the snow,” he said.
During the storm, Rizzo said anyone who does not have to be on the roads should “stay home where it’s safe.”
Anyone who has to hit the roads should leave early, keep distance between cars, slow down and make sure to have a full tank of gas and emergency supplies in the vehicle as a precaution.
When driving on the roads, Rizzo said not to pass any DOT plows.
“Stay behind the trucks,” he said. “It’s safer behind the trucks.”
Roys said heavy snow bands will likely cause blizzard conditions overnight Wednesday into Thursday.
“We could be looking at whiteout conditions, which can be extremely difficult and dangerous,” for drivers, Roys said.
Catherine Rinaldi, president of Metro-North Railroad, said the heavy snow and strong winds could suspend rail service.
Service could also be suspended from downed trees, frozen switches, loss of the third rail or damage to overhead wires.
“We are fully committed to keeping service running as safely as we can and encourage everyone to stay safe during the storm.”
With the first heavy snowfall of the season expected, local fire departments are asking residents to clear ice and snow in a three foot area around any fire hydrants near their homes to allow crews to access.
The latest National Weather Service forecasts show winds between 25 and 30 mph with gusts up to 45 mph along the coast, and 15 to 20 mph winds with gusts up to 35 mph across the interior part of the state.
There is the possibility for downed tree limbs and power outages during the storm — and the Connecticut power companies say they are ready.
“We’re definitely keeping a close eye on the forecasts and making plans to ensure we have the appropriate personnel and resources at the ready as the storm approaches,” United Illuminating spokesman Ed Crowder said in a statement.
He said the company advises customers to visit UI’s website for storm preparation information and make a plan in case of an outage during the storm.
Eversource said it will have line and tree crews pre-positioned around the state to respond to any damage or outages caused by the storm. Eversource is also bringing in out-of-state crews to assist with restoring power if needed.
“We began monitoring this storm over the weekend and continue to closely watch its path and are adjusting our plan as needed,” Eversource President of Regional Electric Operations Craig Hallstrom said in a statement.
“The amount of snow expected may make travel conditions challenging for our crews, so we’re staging extra staff and equipment in our work centers across the state to ensure we’re ready to repair any damage we may see from this storm. We also remind customers that restorations may take longer as we ensure the safety of our employees and customers while working under the challenging conditions related to the pandemic.”