News

First major snowfall of season hits Connecticut

Connecticut Public Radio | By Patrick Skahill

Published February 27, 2023 at 10:28 AM EST

Updated March 1, 2023 at 8:27 AM EST

UConn student Michela Brown, a biology major and animal science minor, braces herself against the snow under the protection of a flower umbrella in Storrs on February 28, 2023. Despite classes being cancelled, Brown’s research project required her to walk across campus to the sheep pens to provide the animals their breakfast. — UConn student Michela Brown, a biology major and an animal science minor, braces herself against the snow under the protection of a flower umbrella in Storrs on Feb. 28, 2023. Despite classes being canceled, Brown still had to work on a research project, which required her to walk across campus to the sheep pens to provide the animals with breakfast.

The state saw its first major snowfall of the season Monday night into Tuesday.

Most parts of Connecticut got about 4 to 7 inches of snow. Burlington, Canton, Storrs and Simsbury received 7 inches, according to the National Weather Service.

Several school districts and universities across Connecticut shut down Tuesday. That meant students savored a rare snow day.

At the University of Hartford, junior Sam Fournier spent the day sculpting a snow lion on one of the quads.

“We’re having a snowball fight, everyone’s building snowmen,” Fournier said. “There’s no classes; everyone’s having a great time.”

Senior Ava Healy had no problem making it to campus to be with friends once classes were canceled.

“These are the best days of the year,” Healy said. “When everyone can come hang out outside together and just play and be silly.”

The University of Connecticut reported that four students were injured in two sledding accidents late Tuesday afternoon. The students were sent to hospitals, but no serious injuries were reported.

Gov. Ned Lamont ordered all executive branch state office buildings closed to the public Tuesday. Three special elections for the Connecticut House went on as scheduled.

There were accidents involving tractor-trailers on Interstates 91 and 84, but officials said no serious injuries were reported. Connecticut State Police reported 700 calls for service, including 87 accidents, between midnight and 2 p.m. Tuesday.

While the snow stopped falling Tuesday evening, temperatures dropped into the 20s overnight.

“Watch out for icy spots ... as temperatures drop below freezing,” Connecticut Public meteorologist Garett Argianas said. “Be careful in the morning. The sidewalk and driveway could be icy.”

It’s back to springlike weather for Wednesday, the first day of March, Argianas said. Highs will reach the mid-40s.

1 of 8 — February 28, 2023 - New Haven Snowfall

Five-year-old Eric Zhu sleds down a hill behind the Yale Divinity School in New Haven after the first major snowstorm of the year.

Ryan Caron King / Connecticut Public

2 of 8 — February 28, 2023 - New Haven Snowfall

Simon Parra takes his dog Cocqui down a hill on a snow tube behind Yale’s Divinity School after the first big snowstorm of the year left around 5 inches of snow across the city.

Ryan Caron King / Connecticut Public

3 of 8 — February 28, 2023 - snowstorm

A group of UConn freshmen build snow kids on the edge of the school’s Mirror Lake. “We were throwing snowballs at each other,” said Colin Slavin, when the group decided to build a snowman. They built a second and little ones, they said, because they didn’t want the first to be lonely. Classes were canceled Feb. 28, 2023, as 4 to 7 inches of snow fell across Connecticut Monday night into Tuesday in the first major snowfall of the season.