Stay off the roads on Sunday.
That’s the main message from Connecticut leaders, as the state braces for the possibility of a substantial winter storm this weekend that could bring bitterly cold temperatures and several inches of snow Sunday into Monday morning.
“This is the real McCoy," Gov. Ned Lamont said on Friday. "We know what we're doing. We've been through this before. We've got 650 plows ready to go. 900 drivers. These guys are going to be going on 12-hour shifts. Leave them alone. Stay off the road. Let them get the job done.”
Connecticut Public meteorologist Garett Argianas said parts of the state could get more than a foot of snow.
"Every one of these winter storms are terribly dicey to predict a couple of days out,” Argianas said. “In this circumstance, we have a very large area of high pressure building across the country. It's a lot of cold air. It's cold air and a storm coming from the south.”
Although ice is a possibility in southern parts of the U.S., Argianas said Connecticut will not see ice accumulation from this storm.
The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for Sunday and Monday for the northern half of Connecticut, including Litchfield, Hartford, Tolland and Windham counties.
Between 12 and 17 inches of snow is forecasted.
A winter storm watch will be in effect for the southern part of the state on Sunday and Monday. The state's southern counties could see 8 to 14 inches of snow.
Forecasters warned that the total amount of snow is uncertain, but that models are trending toward an impactful storm.
“Confidence continues to increase that indeed we’ll be dealing with a moderate to high impact winter storm on Sunday and Sunday night, perhaps lingering into Monday,” the NWS said in a Thursday statement.
The snow may turn to sleet along the shoreline Sunday evening, which would result in lower snow accumulation near the coast, the weather service said.
Dangerous cold and wind chills are also expected this weekend and into next week. Forecasted temperatures are expected to be lowest on Saturday.
Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont activated the state’s severe cold weather protocol at noon on Friday. It will remain in effect until noon next Wednesday.
People seeking shelter should visit 211ct.org or call 211 to find available locations. Transportation can be provided if necessary, Lamont said in a statement.
The city of Hartford on Friday opened warming centers at various libraries and senior centers; they'll remain open until noon Wednesday. The city is also supporting overnight warming centers, including Center Church at 60 Gold St. and Holy Trinity Church at 53 Capitol Ave.
"We've activated the severe cold weather protocol to ensure Hartford residents have easy access to a place they can go to stay warm," Mayor Arunan Arulampalam said in a statement.
In Stamford, Mayor Caroline Simmons declared a snow emergency starting at 8 a.m. Saturday. Vehicles parked on designated snow emergency routes must be moved to avoid ticketing and towing. The Bell, Bedford and Summer Street garages will be open and free during the snow emergency, city officials said. The city's emergency operations center has been activated and is prepared to offer emergency support services.
For information on warming centers in New Haven, click here.
An estimated 100 million people across the U.S. were under some type of winter weather watch, warning or advisory on Wednesday ahead of the storm, the NWS said.
Argianas said while that may be a challenge for southern states that aren’t used to winter weather, he expects Connecticut to be prepared.
“"Around here, a foot of snow? We deal with it,” Argianas said. “We've done it before, and we'll do it again.”
Connecticut Public’s Matt Dwyer and The Associated Press contributed to this report. This story will be updated.