Connecticut Weather: Heavy Snow This AM Ends This Afternoon

This really was no April Fool's joke as heavy snow is blanketing much of the state this morning, especially in Southern Connecticut, which has led to numerous school districts delaying and even canceling classes on Monday.

The entire state is under a Winter Weather Advisory until early this afternoon. For Southern Connecticut, 3 to 6 inches of snow is expected and snowfall rates will be 1 to 2 inches per hour. Snow tapers off west to east around noon.

For Hartford, Tolland and Windham counties, 2 to 4 inches of snow is expected until 2 p.m. this afternoon. And for Litchfield County, up to 4 inches of snow is possible with snowfall rates of a half inch to an inch per hour at times this morning.

After the snow ends, rain moves in on Tuesday and Wednesday and by the end of the week it is chilly with high temps only in the 40s.

Here is the updated weather forecast for Southern Connecticut:

Today: Snow, mainly before noon. The snow could be heavy at times. High near 43. Wind chill values between 25 and 35. Northeast wind 7 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. Total daytime snow accumulation of 3 to 5 inches possible.

Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 36. Light and variable wind.

Tuesday: Rain, mainly after 9am. High near 44. East wind 5 to 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Tuesday Night: Rain before 7pm, then a chance of showers after 7pm. Temperature rising to around 44 by 3am. East wind 5 to 14 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Wednesday: A chance of showers, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 11am. High near 59. South wind 8 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Wednesday Night: Showers before 7pm. Low around 35. Breezy. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 47.

Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 37.

Friday: Partly sunny, with a high near 51.

Here is the updated weather forecast for Northern Connecticut:

Today: Snow, mainly before 11am. High near 46. Light north wind. Chance of precipitation is 80%. Total daytime snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible.

Tonight: Increasing clouds, with a low around 34. Light and variable wind.

Tuesday: A chance of rain and snow before 1pm, then rain and sleet likely between 1pm and 2pm, then rain after 2pm. High near 40. South wind 5 to 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. Little or no snow and sleet accumulation expected.

Tuesday Night: Rain likely, mainly before 8pm. Patchy fog after 11pm. Otherwise, cloudy, with a low around 40. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Wednesday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 61. South wind 8 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 34 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 31.

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 46.

Thursday Night: A chance of snow showers after 4am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 31. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Friday: A chance of rain and snow showers before 8am, then a chance of rain showers between 8am and 2pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 48. Chance of precipitation is 50%.