On Tuesday, the first day of spring, we prepare for a winter storm, in which snow is certain to fall on Wednesday and maybe even Thursday. We may get 13 to 14 inches of snow in this area, the National Weather Service says.
Strong winds could bring down trees.
National Weather Service New York office on Twitter
This map was released at 5 p.m. by the National Weather Service.
The National Weather Service has issued:
— a Coastal Flood Statement: for 1 to 4 a.m., Wednesday: “Minor to moderate coastal flooding Wednesday and Wednesday night” of 1 to 1 1/2 feet. Coasts facing east and north are expected to get the worst of it. Issued at 5:52 p.m.
— a Coastal Flood Advisory: for 12 noon to 6 p.m., Wednesday: “Localized minor coastal flooding” of 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 feet.
— a Winter Storm Warning (issued at at 3:34 p.m.):
* WHAT...Heavy snow expected. Total snow accumulations of 11 to 15 inches are expected. * WHERE...Portions of northeast New Jersey, southern Connecticut and southeast New York. * WHEN...From 6 AM Wednesday to 6 AM EDT Thursday. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Travel will be very difficult to impossible, especially during the evening commute. Snow will develop during the morning and become heavy by afternoon. Expect significant reductions in visibility at times. A combination of the heavy snow and wind gusts up to 35 mph could bring down tree limbs and power lines, creating power outages.
— a Hazardous Weather Outlook issued at 3:36 p.m., because of all of the above.
Here’s the Darien-specific forecast from the National Weather Service for the days ahead (as of 8:56 p.m., Tuesday):
This graphic was posted on Twitter by the National Weather Service at 5 p.m.
Eversource: We’ve Prepared, So Should You
From an Eversource announcement on Tuesday:
Eversource line and tree crews are once again ready to respond as another nor’easter moves into the region, bringing snow and high winds. With wind gusts of up to 45 mph, this storm has the potential to bring trees and tree limbs down onto power lines, causing damage to the energy system.
“We are closely monitoring the weather forecast. The expected snow can weigh down tree limbs already weakened from previous storms, leaving them susceptible to coming down in high winds and damaging our equipment,” said Eversource Vice President of Electric Operations Mike Hayhurst. “We have hundreds of employees ready to respond and will have crews prepositioned around the state before the storm hits so we’re there when customers need us to safely and quickly restore power in case of any outages.”
The company reminds customers to always stay clear of downed wires and to report them immediately to 9-1-1. They can report an outage online at www.eversource.com, or by calling 800-286-2000. Those who signed up for the company’s two-way texting feature can send a text to report an outage and receive outage updates as they happen.
Eversource also offers the following tips on its website to help customers prepare for emergencies:
Image from Eversource
Eversource advice before the storm