Connecticut Weather Update: More Sleet Now Expected for Much of State

It appears the big coastal storm is trending to be cooler than originally anticipated and this means a longer period of sleet for much of Connecticut Monday afternoon and evening. For areas along the immediate coast it will still be too warm and all rain is still predicted here.

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for Hartford and Tolland counties from 4 p.m. Monday to 7 a.m. Tuesday for ice and snow. Snow and sleet could accumulate up to 1 to 2 inches and up to a quarter to one half inch of ice. The worst of the weather in northern Connecticut will occur Monday night into early Tuesday.

Areas south of Hartford could see less than a half inch of a slushy sleet accumulation and again areas right on the coast will see just a heavy plain rain. The evening commute home from work Monday will not be a pleasant one no matter where you live in Connecticut.

NBC Connecticut Meteorologist Ryan Hanrahan wrote, “A lot of sleet tomorrow evening and night. Where it could mix with or change to snow for a bit in the northwest hills we could see as much as 5" or 6" in towns like Norfolk and Hartland. Around Hartford temperatures will be above freezing, but still a slushy coating to an inch of ice pellets is possible.”

See also: Man Texts Cop About Drug Deal, Gets Arrested; Top School Districts; Updated Winter Weather Forecast: CT News

In a Sunday evening update the National Weather Service issued a Hazardous Weather Outlook for southern Connecticut and posted a Winter Weather Advisory for northern Connecticut.

A High Wind Warning and a coastal flood advisory is in effect for areas along the coast in Fairfield, New Haven, Middlesex, and New London counties. Winds here could gust up to 60-70 mph and winds will be 30-40 mph.

In inland areas of Fairfield, New Haven, Middlesex, and New London counties a wind advisory has been issued as winds will be 25 to 35 mph and gusts could approach 55 mph.

Again the worst of the weather is expected Monday afternoon and evening as sleet will transition to rain, except at the coast where it will be all rain, and up to two inches of rain are expected before the storm pulls away Tuesday morning.

Original story: You might as well hit snooze on the alarm clock Monday morning and keep hitting it until Tuesday morning based on the latest forecast for Connecticut. NBC Connecticut Meteorologist Ryan Hanrahan offers a blunt assessment of tomorrow’s weather saying it “really looks ugly.”

The ugliness that Hanrahan is referencing is the impending Nor’easter that will impact Connecticut in a major way on Monday. The state will see periods of ice, not on the immediate coast, heavy rain, flooding potential, and dangerous winds at times.

The ugly weather really won’t exit Connecticut until around midday Tuesday. The worst of it will occur during Monday’s evening commute home from work where a wind swept rain will be falling on the coast and areas inland will see sleet mixing in as well with the heavy rain.

Meteorologist Ryan Hanrahan wrote Sunday, “Tomorrow really looks ugly. I expect many of us will see heavy sleet mixed with rain tomorrow afternoon and evening along with powerful easterly winds. The sleet will accumulate a bit - maybe a couple inches up in the hill towns where there will be some snow flakes mixed in - with an inch or so in the valley with nothing on the shore. Wind gusts up to 60 mph are expected along the coast as well.”

WTNH News 8 Meteorologist Kevin Arnone said on News 8 that it will be largely dry Sunday but on Monday the state will see the “strongest” storm of the season thus far.”

Arnone said winds will begin gusting to 25 mph tonight and pick up to 30-45 mph on Monday afternoon and evening with some gusts approaching 60 mph on the coast. The rain on the coast begins to pick up midday Monday and it will begin as sleet in inland areas, Arnone said.

Heavy rain falls for everyone in the afternoon and evening hours where up to two inches of rain is likely before it ends Tuesday morning, Arnone wrote. Sleet may continue to mix in with the wind-swept rain in inland areas Monday evening before it changes to plain rain. At the immediate coast it appears to be all rain.

The National Weather Service has issued a Hazardous Weather Outlook and a wind advisory for southern Connecticut on Monday. No such advisories have been issued as of yet for Hartford and Tolland counties but they’ll be receiving some ice, heavy rain and gusty winds too. The winds will be less here though, gusting up to 40 mph at times.

If you want some good news, Wednesday will be sunny and high temps approaching 50 degrees.

You can read Kevin Arnone’s full forecast details here.

The NBC Connecticut weather team’s full forecast can be read here.