Mid-day snow storm creates commute from hell in region
So, how was your Friday evening commute?
Call it the perfect storm. Or maybe the perfect pre-winter nightmare. A storm that brought snow to the region at mid-morning and continued through the afternoon created an awful, white-knuckle ride home for many commuters Friday night.
In many instances, what would have been a 30-minute drive turned into a three-hour slog. Traffic was crawling just about everywhere you looked.
The snow arrived right on schedule, but fell a bit heavier than expected, creating the perfect storm to end the week on a sour note.
Everywhere you looked, cars were stacked up. The usual suspects were all jammed - I-95, the Blue Route, the Conchester.
But all those people looking to beat the Friday night rush hour left their offices a little early because of the snow and turned even local neighborhood roads into gridlock. The snow was expected to taper off about 6 p.m., but the cold temperatures meant all those cars met snow covered roads at mid-afternoon.
The result? Nobody went anywhere. Drivers sat and fumed as the ride home turned into a snow endurance competition.
Snowfall totals were still expected to be in the 1-3 inch range.
Tomorrow morning we’ll likely forget all about the nasty drive home. For now, however, take a deep breath and chalk it up to the first perfect storm of the winter of 2017.
Here’s what to expect for the rest of the weekend:
Friday night: A chance of snow before 7 p.m. Cloudy during the early evening, then gradual clearing, with a low around 23. Calm wind becoming west 5 to 9 mph in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 40 percent. Total night-time snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high near 39. Southwest wind 7 to 11 mph.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 28. West wind around 6 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Sunday: A slight chance of showers after 1 p.m.. Mostly sunny, with a high near 43. Light and variable wind. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Sunday Night: A slight chance of rain showers before 10 p.m., then a slight chance of rain and snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 34. Light and variable wind. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Monday: Partly sunny, with a high near 48.