Connecticut endured the first major winter storm of 2014, leaving much of the state with between five to nine inches of snowfall,which finally ended Friday morning. The major concern now is a blast of arctic cold temperatures that are expected to reach -15°F in some areas by Friday night.
Anticipation of the storm produced numerous school and business shut-downs, and even some highway bans were imposed. At a Friday news conference, Governor Dannel Malloy said that while Connecticut did not get the worst of the effects, there is still work to be done in recovery.
Fines in Effect for Failure to Remove Snow and Ice
The first storm of 2014 also put Connecticut's new “ice ban” law to the test. Non-commercial motorists can be fined for failure to remove excess snow and ice from their rooftops. Commercial motorists, especially truckers, can face fines of $1,250 if the tops of their trucks produce flying ice that causes damage or injury to drivers of another vehicle. The new, stricter standards of enforcement took effect last week.
Connecticut Shelters Are Busy
The bitter cold temperatures today and tonight bring even more importance to the role that shelters play in our communities. Many area shelters were busy Friday and especially Friday night, helping those who have no place to go escape the cold, if even for a few hours.
Population Leaving Connecticut Outnumbers Arrivals for Atlas
Many have expressed concern over the number of families leaving Connecticut. Now, it appears that Atlas Van Lines, the national moving company, has provided some ammunition. The company said that 1,230, or 60 percent, of the families it moved in Connecticut crossed state borders, with 825 families coming into the Nutmeg State from elsewhere. That total put Connecticut at the top of the company's outbound list, a trend that Atlas said has continued for the past decade.
