CONNECTICUT, USA — Across Connecticut Monday, it was a day to dig out. Some parts of the state had to dig deeper than others. In the Litchfield Hills, life looked like a literal snow globe.
Up to a foot of snow fell in some parts of the state, while others only saw a couple of inches. Still, it was a snowfall that winter lovers welcomed.
It’s a picturesque part of the state that when covered with a fresh coating of snow, makes it look like you’ve gone back in time. Norfolk got about 14 inches, one of the highest snow totals in the state. Locals call it ‘the icebox’ of Connecticut. “Theoretically anyone who lives here should really enjoy winter. We all get excited when it snows,” said Heather Thomson of Norfolk.
Ahead of the storm, Gov. Ned Lamont says it’s been about two years since a major storm hit the state.
“I think this storm’s been a long time coming,” Lamont said.
More than 200 schools and school districts in the state announced a delayed start to class on Monday as the digging out and cleaning up continues. There was also a concern for some areas of black ice that froze overnight.
It’s a sentiment shared by almost anyone. “I’m not big on winter,” said Richard Garfield of Norfolk. He’s a 70-year resident and former state DOT plow driver. “My snow blower broke down yesterday. I’ve got to take it and get it fixed.”
At Bradley International Airport, about 20% of flights were canceled, primarily impacting the morning departures.
"As our airline partners continue to adjust their schedules in response to the storm, passengers who are traveling today and tomorrow are advised to check with their airline to confirm the status of their flight before heading to the airport," a spokesperson said Sunday.
Eversource reported more than 2,400 outages across its service region in Connecticut due to the storm.
It was hard not to stop and enjoy the view, and enjoy the food too. “We’re not wimps in the Northwest corner,” Ryan Craig. He owns the Berkshire Country Store which was business as usual during Sunday’s winter blast. “We try to be here for the community. There are a lot of guys out plowing and snowblowing. We recognize it’s a small town with not a lot of options so we try to be open as much as we can when there is bad weather,” said Craig.
Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam, in his first significant snowstorm since taking the helm of the capital city, said the crews worked around the clock to ensure the roads were clear and safe. He said after a parking ban was enacted Saturday night, the crews dumped nearly 1 million lbs. of salt on the 250 miles of city roads.
“The DPW workers have been incredible. They’ve been out all night,” Arulampalam said Sunday when speaking with FOX61. “They’ve been working hard, clearing roads.”
Sunday snow gave way to a Monday melt as the sun glistened down on Connecticut. “The main concern for the next storm is the street flooding. With all the storm drains being snow-covered and plowed in. We are concerned that the water is not going to have anywhere to go,” warned Jon Barbagallo of the Norfolk Fire Department.
State officials said ahead of the storm that the timing was good, being overnight Saturday into Sunday, meaning fewer people would likely be on the road, and emergency crews could work to clear streets and highways faster.
While the winter storm has ended, the state is bracing for another storm to hit Tuesday night into Wednesday. This won't be snow; instead, it will be rain and wind.
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