Snowstorm in CT: Bradley Airport says check flights into Monday, Hartford lifts parking ban
Connecticut was hit with the first major snowstorm in about two years Saturday into Sunday with snowfall expected to continue through Sunday in parts of the state.
Bradley International Airport officials said about 5 p.m. Sunday that the airport remains open and “snow removal operations are ongoing.”
Currently, approximately 20% of flights are cancelled and 34% are delayed,” according to the airport.
“Residual delays or cancellations are possible into Monday as our airline partners work to resume regular flight operations,” airport personnel said in an email. “Passengers who are traveling tomorrow are advised to check with their airline to confirm the status of their flight before heading to the airport.”
Parts of Hartford got about a foot of snow Saturday into Sunday.
Eversource at 4 p.m. Sunday reported 400 customers without power. The utility serves 1,308,190 customers in 149 towns in Connecticut. United Illuminating, which serves 344,544 customers in 17 towns in Connecticut, was reporting one outage at that time.
See snow totals here.
Crews across Connecticut had prepared for the impending storm, which was forecast drop up to a foot of snow in some areas.
“We’re prepared, we’re ready, we think we can get through this. But we need people to work with us,” said Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam during a press briefing Saturday.
Arulampalam said Sunday that Hartford will lift its snow parking ban at 4 p.m. Sunday, two hours earlier than initially announced:
“Snowfall is slowing down, and after consulting with our public works and public safety teams, we will be ending our snow parking ban at 4 PM,” said Arulampalam said in an email. “I want to thank our Public Works team, who worked all night and all morning to get our streets clear, and I am grateful to our residents for their cooperation in getting their cars off the street and getting sidewalks cleared. This was a cooperative effort between all our city departments and our residents, and I’m proud of how we came together to handle the first major snowstorm in two years.”
Vehicles must be out of Blue Light, City, and school parking lots by 6 p.m., the mayor said.
On Saturday, standing in front of nearly one million pounds of salt, Arulampalam said snowplows were ready to hit the roads Saturday night and need the streets clear so they can safely get through the city. A parking ban is in effect from 6 p.m. Saturday to 6 p.m Sunday in Hartford, with city lots — marked with blue lights — available for drivers.
“This is the first major storm here in Hartford in about two years. So we are ready, we are prepared for it, but it’s going to take all of us working together,” the new mayor said. Arulampalam was sworn in Jan. 1.
The National Weather Service had issued a Winter Storm Warning, which was in effect from 4 p.m. on Jan. 6 to 1 a.m. on Jan. 8, the NWS said.
Heavy snow is expected to fall during that time, with total accumulations landing between 8 and 12 inches and winds gusting as high as 35 mph, the NWS was predicting as of Saturday afternoon.
According to the NWS Boston office, snow accumulations will likely reach up to a foot north and west of Interstate 95, while areas east of I-95 will likely see less snow on the ground.
The chance of precipitation was 90 percent in Hartford Saturday night into Sunday morning, the NWS said, with snow and rain potentially mixing. Travel could be “very difficult” during the storm, according to the weather service.
In a statement on X, Gov. Ned Lamont urged drivers to stay off the roads unless necessary.
“We’re expecting the first significant snow accumulation of the season to begin on Saturday night and last through the day on Sunday,” he said. “Now is a good time to make plans and avoid travel during the duration of the storm.”
Earlier this week, Lamont told Connecticut residents the major storm is “a long time coming” and asked residents to leave the roads open for professionals working to clear the snow. He said state police, plow drivers and utility crews are ready for the storm.
“Let them do their job, once the emergency is declared stay off the roads,” he said.
The state department of Emergency Management & Homeland Security on Saturday shared the message: “Let’s prioritize safety and cozy up at home!”
On X, they shared three tips for staying safe in the storm: Avoid unnecessary travel in icy conditions; keep a vehicle emergency kit with essentials like blankets, snacks, and a flashlight; and check road conditions before heading out.
The state Department of Transportation also encouraged drivers to be careful by slowing down, maintaining a safe distance from other vehicles, carrying emergency supplies, using winter tires, staying informed about the forecast and never driving impaired.
DOT Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto said ahead of the storm “the equipment is ready to go, crews are ready to go, everything is fueled up and ready to go.”
Eucalitto said the most dangerous thing people can do during a storm like this is crowd snow plows while they are out clearing snow.
Crews have been out pretreating the roads and 630 plow trucks are ready to respond once the snow falls, Eucalitto said.
“Be safe, the snow is expected to continue to fall into Sunday morning until 12 p.m.,” said Arulampalam on Saturday. “Be safe, stay away from the plow trucks.”
Col. Daniel Loughman of the Connecticut State Police advised residents to stay home but if they must go out, to bring a charged cellphone, ensure they have plenty of gas, use headlights and turn signals and go slowly “for your safety and the safety of others. For the safety of all emergency personnel … please reduce your speed and move over when you see us assisting other people.”
In the event of an emergency, Loughman said residents should call 911 and state police will assist those who get stuck on the side of the road.
Parking bans were in effect in cities across the state, including Bristol, New Britain, Hartford, Bloomfield, Bridgeport, West Hartford, Hamden, Middletown, Rocky Hill and Wethersfield. Check with your local town or city for up to date parking bans.
