Latest on Nor'Easter's Impact on Mystic, Stonington This Weekend

On Tuesday, the National Weather Service said a possible “major winter storm” was likely for Connecticut this weekend, beginning after midnight Friday, Jan. 22, and lasting until Sunday.

A few hours later, new weather models showed that the once-anticipated major snowstorm may miss Connecticut altogether because the storm would stay south. The epicenter for the powerful storm would be the-mid atlantic states, specifically Washington, D.C.

And now on Wednesday morning, we’re back to where we were on Tuesday morning.

The National Weather Service continues predict its “Hazardous Weather Outlook” for the entire state, due to the snow threat this weekend.

For Fairfield, New Haven, Middlesex, and New London counties, the National Weather Service says a “major winter storm is possible Friday night into Sunday,” which could produce heavy snow and strong winds.

Projected Accumulation Totals

The National Weather Service is still not making any specific accumulation totals right now, but WTNH News 8’s Gil Simmons says in a video that “his early thoughts” are 10-12 inches of snow on the immediate Connecticut shoreline.

For areas inland, six inches of snow or less, Simmons said.

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Simmons cautions that on the shoreline, residents should expect coastal flooding and strong winds for hours, possibly exceeding 50 mph.

Tides may run 3-4 feet above normal and some shoreline residents may need to evacuate, the News 8 weatherman said, while encouraging people to move their cars to higher ground.

‘Still Hope for Snow Lovers’

NBC Connecticut Meteorologist Ryan Hanrahan wrote on social media and his blog that he honestly doesn’t “have a good handle on this weekend’s storm.”

“It’s going to be a beast of a nor’easter but how far it gets is still a big question,” Hanrahan wrote. “Our models did stop the trend south last night so there is still some hope for snow lovers.”

He said if he has to guess right now, he thinks the state will see a “glancing blow/minor to moderate snow event is most likely with total whiff and major hit still two distinct possibilities as well.”

Why This Forecast is Complicated

“There are two main reasons why this forecast is complicated,” Hanrahan wrote. “One, there’s going to be a very sharp cut-off between a lot and a little snow. Take the morning Canadian (GGEM) model and look at how sharp the gradient is between a lot and a little precipitation. This shows about 1″ or 2″ of snow in Hartford and over 10″ along the I-95 corridor. Good luck pinning that down,”

Snowstorm to Start Later Now

Simmons said the snow was supposed to start late Friday but now it may begin after daybreak Saturday and won’t end until Sunday.

Photo credit: Accuweather.com