HARTFORD — Tuesday’s rain brings a benefit and a potential danger. All this water will freeze as the temperature drops making for some icy conditions overnight and into Wednesday.
“The warm weather and the rain is actually helping us,” said Hartford DPW Director Walter Veselka.
Connecticut’s Capitol city is preparing for another bout with Mother Nature.
“A little dreary but it’s nice. I like this weather, it’s warm,” remarked Shellene McBride of Hartford.
Temps were in the 50’s and in was rainy Tuesday. It caused some minor street and storm drain flooding.
“Residents can always help us by if they have a storm drain near their house just to make sure that that stays clear,” said Veselka.
Hartford’s manual flood control system mainly deals with river flooding, but storm water does drain into this pond in Riverside Park.
Veselka said, “We will pull that pond down just to make sure that it can accept storm water that may be draining from the city into that.”
Hartford has its share of trouble sports. Remember the Blue Hills neighborhood in August? John Rosemund does. He’s been living in Hartford for a while.
“Since 1968,” said Rosemund. “I never saw anything like that. That’s the first flood I had like that.” He’s been okay since then. “I’m prepared for tomorrow,” said Rosemund.
But Wednesday will present a different challenge. Ice. From a nearly 30-degree temperature drop overnight. “I’m going to stay off the road. I won’t be on the road.”
Hartford has taken inventory of their salt and sand supply.
“We will be out treating streets and addressing that as needed but there are several areas on private property where residents could always have an accident,” said Veselka.
“We look at the weather and then provide a recommendation to the mayor on wether we think a parking ban is warranted.”
Mayor Luke Bronin’s office admitted they misjudged the amount of snow they anticipated last storm and should have called a parking ban. They don’t anticipate needing one for this weather event, but they will closely monitor the situation.