Blizzard Warning Issued for Southern Connecticut and Southeast New York: 13-18 Inches of Snow Expected

Alert Details

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Upton, NY, has issued a Blizzard Warning for portions of southern Connecticut and southeast New York. This alert indicates that severe winter weather conditions, including falling and blowing snow with strong winds, are expected to create life-threatening conditions.

Affected Areas

The warning covers a broad geographic area including:

• Connecticut: Southern Fairfield, Southern New Haven, Southern Middlesex, and Southern New London counties.
• New York: Southern Westchester, Manhattan, Bronx, Staten Island (Richmond), Brooklyn (Kings), Northern and Southern Queens, Northern and Southern Nassau, and all of Suffolk County (Northwest, Northeast, Southwest, and Southeast).

Expected Conditions

Residents should prepare for extreme winter weather:

• Snow Accumulation: Total snow accumulations are expected to range between 13 and 18 inches.
• Wind Speeds: Winds are forecast to gust as high as 55 mph.
• Visibility: Visibilities may drop below one-quarter mile due to falling and blowing snow, leading to whiteout conditions.
• Impacts: The combination of heavy snow and strong winds may down power lines and cause tree damage, resulting in sporadic power outages. Travel will be treacherous and potentially life-threatening, specifically impacting both the Monday morning and evening commutes.

Timeline

The Blizzard Warning is effective from 6:00 AM EST Sunday, February 22, through 6:00 PM EST Monday, February 23. While snow will begin moving in during the morning and afternoon hours on Sunday, the strongest winds and most severe blizzard conditions are anticipated Sunday night into Monday.

What You Should Do

The NWS advises that travel should be restricted to emergencies only. If you must travel, ensure you have a winter survival kit in your vehicle. If you become stranded, stay with your vehicle. Residents are encouraged to monitor local Department of Transportation services for updated road conditions and to complete preparations before the onset of the storm.