Blizzard Watch Issued for Windsor Locks, East Windsor

The National Weather Service has issued a blizzard watch for Windsor Locks and East Windsor as a powerful winter storm is expected to affect the region starting Thursday night and lasting into Saturday morning.

The blizzard watch will be in effect from Friday afternoon and continue through to Saturday afternoon.

The storm system will bring with it heavy snow, sleet and damaging winds — with gusts blowing up in excess of 60 miles per hour.

Total accumulations in the area are expected to be some 18 to 24 inches of snow, along with possible traces of ice.

The high winds and heavy snow is expected to make for at times white out conditions, with visibility reduced to less than a quarter of a mile.

"The heavy snow will make for dangers driving conditions," the weather service meteorologists report in their alert. "In addition, the heavy snow and strong winds will result in blizzard conditions, bringing down some tree limbs and causing scattered power outages."

A winter storm watch that had been issued earlier this week has now been cancelled, with the blizzard watch issued in its place.

In East Windsor, Director of Public Works Len Norton said that his department has been loading trucks with sand and salt, as well as topping off fuel supplies in anticipation for the storm.

"We're not sure when it’s going to hit, but we’ll be loaded and ready to go,"  Norton said.

Norton added that he has spoken with the chief of police and a parking ban has been put into effect in East Windsor for Friday and Saturday.

"The less snow, the better," Norton said. "But we will come into work as usual on Friday and we will stay here until it's cleaned up."

The challenge, according to Norton, is that public works is down one employee.

"We already don't have that big of a crew here," Norton said.

As such, he has requested that people who do not have to be on the roads to stay off them so public works can keep the roads clear for public safety vehicles.

While town staff in Windsor Locks make similar preparations, it remains to be seen exactly how the storm will affect daily life in town.

Although residents could see snow accumulation totals around two feet on Friday, school officials have yet to make a decision on whether or not public schools will be closed for the day, or if there will be an early dismissal, according to the superintendent's office.