4:40 p.m.: If, for any reason, you’ve got a car parked on a Stamford street, you’ll need to move it elsewhere by 8 p.m., or the city may tow it away; and if you’ve got a COVID-19 test scheduled for this weekend somewhere in Stamford, you’d better check to see if testing at that site hasn’t been cancelled.
That’s part of what an emergency message from the city government said just minutes ago.
The city has declared a “Snow Emergency” from 6 p.m., Friday to 6 p.m., Sunday.
Until 6 p.m., Sunday, anyone can still park in the city’s public parking garages, for free, the announcement said.
The announcement reminded residents that Eversource customers can call the utility at 203-286-2000 to report a power outage.
4:31 p.m.: Here’s the National Weather Service forecast for Darien through Monday, as of 3:56 p.m.:
3:53 p.m.: Darien Police Capt. Jeremiah Marron has issued this reminder to town residents about the town’s ban on street parking overnight.
He emailed this three-sentence copy of an announcement made when the ban began:
“Effective Dec. 1, 2021 the parking of vehicles on public roads in Darien between the hours of 2 and 6 a.m. is prohibited.
“The purpose of this restriction is for the town to be able to clear the streets of snow during the winter months. Thank you for your cooperation.”
3:45 p.m.: Here’s Gov. Ned Lamont’s news conference on the state’s storm preparations.
This video is about 12 minutes long:
3:42 p.m.: Gov. Ned Lamont is ordering a travel ban on tractor trailers, starting at 6 a.m., Saturday.
Here’s what he said in a tweet at 2:21 p.m.:
“Later today I will sign an order implementing a travel ban on all tractor trailers statewide beginning at 6AM on Saturday, January 29, remaining until further notice. We’re coordinating this with our neighboring states, including Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Stay safe!”
8:15 a.m., Friday: Here’s the National Weather Service’s Winter Storm Warning as of 3:21 a.m., Friday:
...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 PM EST SATURDAY... * WHAT...Heavy snow expected. Total snow accumulations of 6 to 9 inches. Winds gusting as high as 45 mph. Near blizzard conditions are possible for a period on Saturday. * WHERE...Portions of northeast New Jersey, southern Connecticut and southeast New York. * WHEN...From 7 PM this evening to 7 PM EST Saturday. * IMPACTS...Travel will become be very difficult. Gusty winds could bring down tree branches. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency. Check local Department of Transportation information services for the latest road conditions.
8:10 a.m.: An announcement issued late Thursday the state Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (the computer models refer to weather forecasting models which can offer somewhat different predictions):
The latest storm tracks from the GFS, EURO, Canadian and NAM computer models have started to drift back to the west slightly overnight and tighten-up. A low pressure system is forecast to form off the North Carolina coast Friday evening.
This low is forecast to rapidly intensify as the storm moves to the northeast. At this time the consensus (aka Average) track of all 4 models brings the center of this major winter storm approximately 60 miles southeast of Cape Cod at approximately 6:00 PM Saturday evening.
If the storm follows this track, we can expect a Nor’Easter with possible blizzard conditions starting before daybreak on Saturday and continuing until Saturday evening. Northeast winds could gust to 50 – 60 MPH at times along the coast with temperatures in the upper teens and low 20s.
The impact on travel could be major with very low visibilities and snow-covered roads. A minor to moderate number of power outages are possible. Most air travel in the Northeast could be cancelled. Total snowfall could range from 6” – 10” in Western CT up to 10” – 14” in Eastern CT (especially near the RI border).
This storm is still approximately 48 hours from impact. Snowfall amounts remain highly dependent on the exact track. The tracks from the 4 models have tightened up somewhat in the past 24 hours which may indicate a higher confidence track. However, there is still plenty of time for additional changes and towns are advised to closely monitor the latest forecasts.
8:05 a.m.: Excerpts from an Eversource news release sent at 2:39 p.m., Thursday about the expected storm:
“The heavy snowfall and high winds expected late Friday night into Saturday can bring down trees or tree limbs onto electric lines and equipment causing power outages. In advance of the storm, the energy company is strategically prepositioning equipment and line and tree crews across the state — including hundreds of additional out-of-state crews — so they’re ready to respond quickly and safely to any storm-related outages.”
Eversource President of Connecticut Electric Operations Steve Sullivan said:
“‘We have hundreds of crews flying in throughout the day today – and more arriving tomorrow – from southern and western parts of the country, so we don’t have to wait for them to drive here. They’ll be geared up and ready to respond to this storm alongside our Eversource crews. We also remind customers that restorations may take longer as we ensure the safety of our employees who will be responding in challenging road conditions.”
The news release also said:
“Eversource reminds customers to always stay clear of downed wires and to report them immediately to 9-1-1. Be sure to report any outage online at Eversource.com, or by calling 800-286-2000. Customers 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.
“Customers are encouraged to prepare for the storm by assembling or restocking a storm kit which should include essentials like flashlights, batteries, water, non-perishable foods, pet food and essentials and any needed medications. In addition, make sure cell phones and devices are full charged, create an emergency plan with family members and check on elderly neighbors and friends.
“Additional preparedness tips can be found at Eversource.com.”