Storm Report: Following Up on “The Big One”; Work to Clear Roads will Continue Overnight; End of Snow in Sight
Staples High School late tonight as crews worked to clear sidewalks and driveways of the property. Today’s storm brought over one foot of snow to the Westport area today, with wind gusts nearing 50 mph near the beach and several hours of very low visibility. The storm delivered as it was expected by the National Weather Service, NYC - it was “the big one” - and it isn’t over yet.
As of 10:00 PM tonight, main roads are appearing as passable are cleared down to the blacktop in some areas, with side roads beginning to be plowed and widened, and with dead end or other non-connected routes in the process of being plowed for necessary passage.
Many of the main roads such as Route 1, Route 136, Route 33, Route 15, I-95, and Route 57 are all still slick with slush or ice as crews fight to salt the main thoroughfares by daybreak - however they will continue their work through the night, according to the Office of Emergency Management. The massive quantities of the thick snow require secondary removal via front loaders or dump trucks, transporting the snow to unused parking lots in order to create space in areas such as downtown or local schools.
According to the Town, only three homes were without power during the storm and are in the process of being reconnected if not completed already by Eversource. Many reports of a possible transformer explosion came from residents in the Old Hill, Wilton Road, and Downtown areas as the sky lit up from the event - however the transformer, possibly located on Old Hill Road near Wilton Road, was not damaged upon inspection.
The winter weather is not over yet. Freezing rain is possible for several hours before sunrise, with 50% chances of snowfall continuing through the day tomorrow. Freezing rain and more light snow will continue to fight crews trying to clear roadways and sidewalks; patience will be required tomorrow morning if heading out onto the roads.