Rain, Sleet, and Snow Make for 'Slick Roads' this Evening in Westport

By BRIAN MCCREADY (Patch Staff)

Just in time for April Fools’ Day we’ll be seeing some snow flakes later today, possibly in time for the evening commute home from work.

This won’t amount to much of anything, but because the temperature will be dropping and the precipitation will be failing it’s likely the roads may be slick.

The National Weather Service has issued a “Hazardous Weather Outlook” for Hartford and Tolland counties for light snow accumulation later today. Those areas could see up to an inch of snow, while the rest of Connecticut is forecast to see less than an inch of snow if that.

But the news isn’t all bad, as NBC Connecticut Meteorologist Darren Sweeney writes below.

Again, be careful when driving later tonight.

WTNH News 8 Meteorologist Gil Simmons writes “Take your umbrella...A nasty finish to the day with rain, sleet and wet snow arriving 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Slick roads likely this evening in many areas. Bridges are first to get slick. Be careful.”

News 12 writes “For this afternoon and evening. Roads will be messy and slippery tonight. Don’t expect a lot of accumulating snow but it is possible to see very light accumulations in some of our northern communities.”

NBC Connecticut Meteorologist Ryan Hanrahan writes, “A period of rain and snow later today with a weak storm passing underneath us. Can’t rule out some minor accumulation on grassy surfaces - particularly in hilly spots of southern Connecticut.”

And for some good news from NBC Connecticut Meteorologist Darren Sweeney.

“Some model data on Friday, wants to put us near 70! It all has to come together for it to happen, but after today’s snowflakes flying, lets hope. I think if we hit 70 on a Friday, there will be a statewide freakout!”

Here’s the Westport-specific forecast from the National Weather Service (as of the 12:52 p.m., Tuesday update).

• Tuesday afternoon: Rain likely, mainly after 3pm. Cloudy, with a high near 46. Southwest wind around 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
• Tuesday night: Rain and snow, mainly before midnight. Low around 28. Northeast wind 5 to 9 mph becoming north after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.
• Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 44. Wind chill values between 20 and 30. North wind 9 to 11 mph.
• Wednesday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 29. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
• Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 52. Light southwest wind becoming south 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
• Thursday night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
• Friday: Showers likely, mainly after 7am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 63. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
• Friday night: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
• Saturday: A chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 52. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
• Saturday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 32.
• Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 48.
• Sunday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 33.
• Monday: Partly sunny, with a high near 50.

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Picture (from the Snow Leopard Conservancy/Jammu & Kashmir Wildlife Protection Department, as posted to Wikimedia Commons): A snow leopard.