SOUTHINGTON, Conn. — Just when you thought it was safe to lock up the salt piles, Mother Nature reminded road crews winter doesn’t end until she says it does.
A sloppy mix of heavy rain, wet snow, and high winds will add a monkey wrench to Connecticut’s Tuesday plans and keep transportation officials on their toes.
“Some forecasts are saying maybe an inch or more an hour. That’s a little tough to keep up with. The less vehicles, the less people on the roads, the better," said state Department of Transportation (DOT) spokesperson Josh Morgan in Southington at one of more than 50 DOT garages where crews were gearing up for Tuesday's nor'easter.
Crews can’t put sand and salt on more than 11,000 miles of state roads until rain switches to snow. But once the switchover happens, drivers are urged to stay off the roads, if possible.
“Delay travel, work from home, if possible," Morgan added.
Connecticut State Police (CSP) responded to 87 crashes during Connecticut’s last winter storm in February. Tuesday’s nor’easter is forecasted to be even more severe.
Jennifer Dimauro, of Manchester, drives a flatbed. Her truck is relatively small compared to tractor-trailers, which were involved in 15 crashes across Connecticut during the last major snowstorm two weeks ago.
Still, she doesn't take any chances in severe winter weather and worked overtime Monday to deliver pipes and tubing before road conditions deteriorate.
“If you do get caught in it you just try to go really slow," Dimauro said. "We try to get out there and get what we need delivered early so we can get back to the warehouse and not be out in it."
The rain started falling across the state Monday afternoon.
Bloomfield was among one of the first cities and towns to issue a 24-hour parking ban in effect from 6 a.m. Tuesday to 6 a.m. Wednesday.
Dan Osteyee—gearing up for an hours-long trek down Interstate 84 from Colchester to Pennsylvania on Monday—had no complaints about a warmer-than-usual winter.
“It’s been nice not shoveling snow," he said.
But he's prepared for what's on the way and will be driving back to Connecticut in it.
"I’ve got a Jeep with a plow on it, so I’m ready for pretty much anything that happens," Osteyee said.
Samaia Hernandez is a reporter for FOX61 News. She can be reached at shernandez@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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