Towns Dig Out After Storm Drops Up to 16 Inches of Snow

Hundreds of schools are closed or opening late on Tuesday morning as the people across Connecticut dig out after another winter storm brought more than a foot of fresh snow to parts of the state.

Much of interior Connecticut received up to a foot of snow – or more. Weather watchers have measured 6 inches in Simsbury, 14.3 inches in Weston, 13 inches in Avon and 12.5 inches in Enfield. Check our running list of snow totals here.

The storm started as snow, then switched over to sleet and freezing rain on Monday afternoon, adding a sheet of ice and creating dangerous icing. The wintry mix then changed back over to snow by mid-afternoon.

Visibility was minimal for most of the afternoon, and police said the roads were worse than during the Blizzard of 2015.

Then, on Monday evening, heavy, blowing snow created whiteout conditions and plows had difficulty keeping up with bands of snow coming down at a rate of 1 to 2 inches per hour, which caused roads to rapidly deteriorate. 

"You've got to reduce your speed in this kind of weather. It's very dangerous right now," said state police spokesman Lt. Paul Vance said Monday.

Vance reminded residents to clear cars off completely, bring a fully charged cellphone and to tell someone where you're traveling and how you're getting there. If you do run into trouble, stay in your car and call 911.

The snow tapered off between 9 and 10 p.m., but many parking bans were still in effect as residents dealt with clearing driveways.

Overnight, temperatures dropped off sharply, ranging from -5 to 10 degrees on the thermometer, with wind chills of up to -20 degrees.

In advance of the storm, Gov. Dannel Malloy activated the state's severe weather protocol and Emergency Operations Center as the storm moved in. Residents in need of shelter were urged to call 211.

As of 9 p.m. Monday, AAA had responded to more than 900 calls from stranded drivers needing jump starts, tows and lock service in greater Hartford and eastern Connecticut, according to an agency spokesperson.

Dozens flights traveling through Bradley International Airport were canceled on Monday and four departures scheduled for Tuesday morning had been canceled as of 5:46 a.m. Check with your air carrier for more information.

Follow @AmtrakNEC on Twitter for updates on train schedules.

The state Department of Motor Vehicles canceled all road tests scheduled up to 10 a.m. on Tuesday because of road conditions. 

Students across the state had the day off Monday and many municipal offices opened late or closed early. Since most of the state was snowed in Monday, the governor extended the property tax deadline to Tuesday, Feb. 3.

At the height of the storm, NBC Connecticut received notice of more than 1,200 school and business closings, as well as parking bans. Hundreds of delays and closings are still listed for today.

Some municipalities, such as Bridgeport and New Milford, declared snow emergencies ahead of the storm, and several parking bans remain in effect. See if your city or town is affected.

Temperatures will be bitter cold today and we could see more snow later this week. Check the forecast for updates.

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