school cancellations followed a wintry mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain that produced hazardous driving conditions across Connecticut on Tuesday, forcing multiple crashes, road closures and at least one district to close for the day.
What is the immediate impact on roads and travel?
State police responded to multiple crashes on Connecticut highways during the storm. A tractor-trailer rolled over in Barkhamstead and troopers noted that snow and ice had made roads slippery. A separate tractor-trailer jackknifed on Route 691 in Meriden; crews cleared the vehicle and pulled another car out of the median. A crash along I-91 in Middletown caused heavy backups during the evening commute.
Plow driver Darien Covert of Vernon said highways were not too bad but that side roads were very slippery, and crews were out treating roads in Vernon and other communities. Covert described the strain on crews after a prolonged winter, saying, “Plowing this whole winter, so tired of the winter, let it be over, ” and also stating, “I think we will have snow until July. ” No injuries were reported in the highway crashes, and many school districts closed Tuesday. No closures had been announced for Wednesday by Tuesday night.
What drives school cancellations now?
The primary drivers behind these school decisions were the changing precipitation types and timing. A winter weather advisory was extended to the entire state except the immediate coast, with snow, sleet and freezing rain forecast. In at least one district, precipitation was expected to move into the area between the mid-morning hours and late morning, with icy conditions likely from mid-morning into the evening and temperatures remaining very cold for the majority of the day. New Canaan Public Schools were closed March 3 because of the expected icy conditions during that window, and districts cited safety concerns tied to slippery side roads and highway incidents when making closure decisions.
What should communities anticipate and do?
Communities should note the pattern seen in this event: mixed precipitation that changes type through the morning can quickly degrade travel, prompting road treatments, heavy backups and the possibility of disabled or overturned vehicles. Plow and treatment crews are active but report fatigue after an extended winter season. Officials in affected districts have used advisories and observed road conditions to decide on closures; one district advised, “If you must travel, please be safe. “
Given the multi-part wintry mix, the state advisory covering most inland areas, and the on-the-ground crashes and road work described above, families and local agencies should expect that further district decisions remain likely and plan accordingly — school cancellations
