59°
“Snowfall was about what we expected, with accumulations somewhere between 5 and 9 inches common,” Malloy said during a noon press conference in Hartford. “Our primary concern now, through tomorrow, remains the extreme cold, with the wind chills being a major factor.”
Temperatures across the state are expected to plummet below zero by Friday night, according to the National Weather Service. Some parts of the state, Malloy said, will see temperatures as low as -15. To make matters worse, he said, wind chills as low as -25 are possible.
In Fairfield County, the NWS forecasts Friday night lows ranging from -11 in the northern part of the county to -1 along the shore.
With such frigid temperatures ahead, Malloy is urging all residents to take precautions, especially the homeless. The state’s severe cold weather protocols remain in effect, allowing crews to reach out to homeless individuals and make sure they seek shelter inside.
The state has also been coordinating transportation services to locate homeless people and take them to designated facilities, Malloy said. On Thursday night, he said homeless shelters throughout the state were operating at about 120 percent capacity.
Anyone who needs shelter is urged to call 211. On Thursday, Malloy said 127 calls for shelter were received.
The extreme cold weather also posses a great threat to the state’s special needs residents, such as the elderly and disabled. As such, Malloy is calling on people to check in on their special needs neighbors from time to time, to make sure they are all right.
Tips on what you can do to make sure you and your home are prepared for severe cold weather are available on the state's website.
Although the state’s highways have been cleared of snow, Malloy said plowing continues on two-lane state roads and on the local level. As such, he asked residents to limit travel when possible.
"Obviously, you have to get to and from work, but optional travel, at least for another few hours, should be kept to a minimum," said Malloy.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Fairfield and receive free news updates.
