The Good News for Norwalk: Little Ice Expected Saturday

The bad news for Norwalk: A wintry mess is in store for Saturday, particularly in the morning after overnight snow and freezing rain turn to morning rain and snow, with a high temperature for the day of only 34 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.

The good news: “Little to no ice accumulation expected.”

Just keep in mind that it’s a weather forecast (as of 10:52 a.m., Friday, specifically for Norwalk) and forecasts, like the weather, change.

A shift to temperatures a few degrees colder and we’re below the freezing point. The weather service expects temperatures in Norwalk to be just above freezing by 10 a.m. and not descend back to 32 degrees until 9 p.m., but never get higher than 34 degrees. That’s cutting it close. Drive carefully.

From 8 p.m. Friday to 8 p.m. Saturday, the weather service expects four inches of snow to fall on Norwalk and about half an inch of rain, according to this Web page (updated as of 9:21 a.m., Friday).

The National Weather Service downgraded its ”Hazardous Weather Outlook” to a “Winter Weather Advisory” currently in effect for midnight Friday/Saturday to 6 p.m. Saturday. In the northern and western New York Metropolitan area and most of southern Connecticut, ice is expected, with as much as 3 to 5 inches in some areas.

“A Winter Weather Advisory means that periods of snow, sleet or freezing rain will cause travel difficulties,” the advisory states. “Be prepared for slippery roads and limited visibilities, and use caution while driving.”

Here’s the weather service’s full, Norwalk-specific weather forecast as of 10:52 a.m. (for hourly updates, see this Web page):

• Friday afternoon: Sunny, with a high near 36. Wind chill values between 30 and 35. Southwest wind around 7 mph.
• Friday night: Snow, mainly after midnight. Low around 27. Southwest wind around 6 mph becoming light and variable after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. New snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.
• Saturday: Snow and freezing rain before 8 a.m., then rain and snow. High near 34. Wind chill values between 25 and 30. North wind 9 to 14 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. Little or no ice accumulation expected. New snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.
• Saturday night: A chance of snow before 9pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 25. Wind chill values between 15 and 20. West wind 9 to 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent.
• Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high near 36. West wind 8 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph.
• Sunday night: A chance of snow, mainly after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 19. Chance of precipitation is 50 percent.
• Monday: A chance of snow. Cloudy, with a high near 28. Chance of precipitation is 50 percent.
• Monday night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 12.
• Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 22.
• Tuesday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 6.
• Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 23.
• Wednesday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 12.
• Thursday: Partly sunny, with a high near 30.