Malloy Announces Impending Travel Ban Due To Connecticut Blizzard: BREAKING

HARTFORD, CT — Gov. Dannel Malloy has signed an order for a travel ban for state highways and roads that will begin at 5 a.m. Tuesday and remain in effect until further notice.

Malloy is fully activating the state's Emergency Operation Center starting at 5 a.m. Tuesday and has signed an order that proclaims a civil preparedness emergency in the state. (To sign up and receive free news and weather alerts from your hometown in Connecticut click here.)

Towns and cities can decide on their own about local parking and travel bans. Regardless, it's best to stay off the roads Tuesday.

All nonessential first- and second-shift state employees do not need to report to work Tuesday.

“Snowfall is expected to begin shortly before sunrise and will increase quickly, with peak blizzard conditions reached only several hours later," Malloy said. "Everyone in Connecticut is urged to plan ahead – wherever you are at sunrise Tuesday morning, expect to remain there throughout the remainder of the storm and into the night."

Malloy encouraged residents to stay home unless they are an essential employee, such as a doctor.

Snow could come down at rates as high as 6 inches per hour at times, and winds could reach as high as 60 mph. Some periods of the storm could see heavier snowfall than the 2013 blizzard.

Heavy periods of snow could pose issues as plows work to clear state highways. Normally plows move at a speed of 25 mph, but they may have to slow to 5 mph during the heaviest parts of the storm, Malloy said.

High winds could create large snow drifts.

"Residents are urged to make safety a priority and to not make any attempt to travel," he said.

The Department of Transportation spent Monday pre-treating roadways. There will be 634 plow trucks and 250 private contract plow operators on standby. CT DOT is responsible for more than 10,000 miles of road, while cities and towns are responsible for more than 35,000 miles.

Train service will likely be greatly curtailed or fully shut down, Malloy said. The state doesn't anticipate having bus service Tuesday, and many flights out of Bradley International Airport are cancelled.

A list of available nearby shelters and warming centers can be found by calling 211.

Image via MTA/Flickr Commons