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Connecticut Weather: What to Expect for the Morning Commute
The National Weather Service Monday evening update includes information on when the snow turns to ice and finally plain rain.
UPDATE 7 P.M.
The National Weather Service’s updated forecast Monday night still includes a “Winter Weather Advisory” for Fairfield, New Haven, Middlesex, New London, Hartford and Tolland counties for more snow and sleet accumulation tonight.
The noticeable change from this morning is that for coastal Connecticut, which includes southern Fairfield, New Haven, Middlesex, and New London counties, we can now see up to three inches of snow. This morning, the National Weather Service said the snow would only accumulate up to an inch. Also here we may see some ice accumulation to, which is also new.
For the rest of the state the accumulation remains consistent from this morning, 2-4 inches of snow in northern Fairfield, New Haven, Middlesex, and New London counties, and 1-3 inches in Hartford and Tolland counties.
Here is the latest breakdown via the National Weather Service:
Coastal Connecticut:
Snow accumulating 1-3 inches and two hundredths to a tenth of an inch of ice. Snow mixes to freezing rain after 9 p.m and then just plain rain after midnight.
Northern Fairfield, New Haven, Middlesex, and New London counties:
Snow accumulating 2-4 inches along with a tenth of an inch of ice. Snow mixes and changes to freezing rain closer to midnight and the ice changes to plain rain toward daybreak.
Hartford and Tolland counties:
Snow accumulating 1-3 inches along with a tenth of an inch of ice. Light snow is falling now and will become moderate this evening. A transition to sleet and freezing rain occurs around midnight and the freezing rain changes to plain rain by daybreak Tuesday.
What to Expect for the Morning Commute:
For coastal Connecticut, temps will rise to mid 40s by 5 a.m. and rain is likely after 9 a.m. Temps will approach 55 degrees and an inch of rain is expected. Rain is expected to fall through the evening and winds could gust up to 28 mph.
For interior sections of Fairfield, New Haven, Middlesex, and New London counties, rain and snow will fall from midnight to 3 a.m. and by 5 a.m. temps rise here to 40 degrees or more, and it will be plain rain for the morning commute.
During the day, temps rise above 50 degrees and an inch of rain is likely and more rain is expected Tuesday evening. The rain ends by 9 p.m.
Hartford and Tolland counties, expect freezing rain between midnight and 4 a.m. and then rain likely after 4 a.m. Fog could also be an issue and temps will be above freezing by 5 a.m.
During the day on Tuesday, rain is expected and thunderstorms are possible between noon and 3 p.m. Fog could also be an issue throughout the day on Tuesday. In the afternoon winds could gust as high as 30 mph.
Original post: With today being President’s Day the good news is some people have the day off from work, so fewer people will need to worry about commuting home in some snow and ice.
This is not a significant winter storm at all, more of a nuisance than anything else. The biggest issue is that it will be snowing for those who are driving home from work this evening, and the National Weather Service says travel may be difficult and dangerous in some spots on untreated roads.
The Winter Weather Advisory is still in effect for Fairfield, New Haven, Middlesex, and New London counties from 1 p.m. until at least midnight for the coast and 7 a.m. for inland sections of the state.
In Hartford and Tolland counties the advisory doesn’t start until 3 p.m. because snow will arrive a little later there.
After today, the days of freezing weather are over and we’ll see at least an inch of rain Tuesday in Connecticut with temps near 50. It will remain in the upper 30s to low 40s for the rest of the workweek.
Here are the latest details via the National Weather Service:
Immediate Connecticut coastline, or southern Fairfield, New Haven, Middlesex, and New London counties:
Snow will accumulate up to 1 inch along with a glaze of ice. Snow develops this morning then briefly mixes with and changes to freezing rain before changing to plain rain late tonight. Most of the snow will fall between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m. and then a period of quick mix after 9 p.m. and plain rain by midnight.
Northern Fairfield, New Haven, Middlesex, and New London counties:
Snow may accumulate 2-4 inches along with a few hundredths of an inch of ice. Snow develops this afternoon then mixes with and changes to freezing rain in the evening, then rain by early Tuesday morning.
Snow is expected to fall between 3 p.m. and midnight before the mix to sleet takes over and plain rain by early Tuesday morning.
Tolland and Hartford counties:
Snow will accumulate 1-3 inches and up to a tenth of an inch of ice. Snow will begin between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. and will change to sleet and freezing rain late this evening and plain rain by Tuesday daybreak. However, some freezing rain may hold on until mid morning in the lower Connecticut Valley.
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