Storm closes schools, slows traffic

A wintry mix of snow, sleet and rain made the morning commute a challenge, contributed to numerous accidents and closed most southwestern Connecticut schools on Wednesday

The weather steadily improved later and temperatures climbed above freezing throughout most of the region by 10 a.m. Oxford airport was one of the coldest spots at that time, at 30 degrees.

There were numerous reports of spin outs with driving speeds reduced to a crawl. Major roads like I-95, I-84 and Routes 8/25 were coated with snow and slush during the busiest traffic time, and slick spots remained at mid-morning. Whatever melting occurs during the day is likely to refreeze as temperatures dip below freezing again tonight, said WTNH meteorologist Gil Simmons.

Snowfalls totals ranged from an inch along the coast to more than 4 inches in interior Connecticut. By 6 a.m., the snow had turned to rain in Bridgeport, but it was still snowing heavily in Danbury. Most of the precipitation ended by mid-morning.

Metro-North reported trains were running up to 15 minutes late around 8 a.m. Wednesday; normal service resumed about an hour later.

Schools were closed in Ansonia, Derby, Seymour, Shelton, Danbury, Bethel, Easton, Monroe and Newtown while Bridgeport, Milford and Fairfield schools delayed opening to allow time for roads to be cleared.

Accidents were reported near the Fairfield rest area and near Exit 42 in West Haven, near the state border in Greenwich and in Stratford. In one incident along I-95, a pickup and camper jackknifed at the entrance to I-95 from the Fairfield rest area, according to WTNH.

In Waterbury, a truck could not make it up a hill at the ramp from Route 8 northbound to I-84 eastbound so the exit was closed until the truck could be removed.

John Carey of the state Department of Transportion told WTNH that not many accidents had occurred by 6 a.m. "They'll be plowing down the roads as best they can before rush hour," Carey said. "We'll apply our salt down there and once we get the traffic working it in, you know, should get pretty much wet roads because the temperatures aren't really extremely cold this morning."

A winter weather advisory from the National Weather Service remained in effect until 4 p.m. for northern Litchfield, Fairfield and New Haven counties as well as the rest of interior Connecticut.

Quincy Vagell, a forecaster for WeatherEdge, said that while precipitation is sputtering out, some hilly areas could still get a new glazing of ice this afternoon.

Thursday will be cloudy and breezy, with highs around 40 along the shore and the mid to upper 30s inland, Vagell said.