(WFSB) – Cleanup continued across Connecticut on Wednesday morning after a wintry mix delivered the first plowable snow of the season to parts of northern Connecticut.
Heavy rain washed away slush from earlier mixed precipitation across Connecticut Tuesday.
Temperatures dropped overnight, leaving many untreated surfaces slick as residents headed to work and school.
Enfield was among the towns that picked up several inches of snow before the mix changed to rain.
Crews spent the overnight hours treating roads, though some slippery patches remained early Wednesday.
Garrett Pease, who handles snow removal for about 30 properties in and around Enfield, said the mixed conditions required careful timing.
“About 4 o’clock I decided to go make a round about. Once I got out, I started a couple commercial accounts and thought, ‘I have to plow it before it freezes,’” said Pease, who owns Garrett’s Carpentry.
The transition from snow to rain and dropping temperatures creates potential hazards for Wednesday morning commuters.
“You got to wait. Most people will go out early in the morning and salt and sand before people get to their work site and go from there. Safety is a big issue, so that’s what we try to accommodate,” Pease said.
In Vernon, plow trucks moved in and out of the Department of Public Works yard throughout the day. Connecticut Department of Transportation plows were spotted on I-84, though little snow remained on main roadways near Vernon.
Plow trucks in the area have been loaded with salt, but crews cannot apply it until the rain stops or it will wash away.
“Roads are really wet right now. There’s a couple slick spots where it’s slushy, but other than that, it’s not too bad,” said Mark Donnelly of South Windsor.
Brian Gilbert of Vernon echoed the need for careful driving.
“Really, it’s not too bad as long as you go slow. That’s where people get in trouble, they try to go too fast. There were some wipe outs on the highways,” Gilbert said.
Tracy Noble, spokesperson for Greater Hartford AAA, said the organization always expects an increase in calls during winter weather, especially during the first storm.
“All that being said, you want to drive very smoothly when there’s a chance of precipitation. Ice, snow, freezing rain, whatever it is on the road, no sudden movements. Be very controlled and very smooth with your maneuvers, and don’t jam on the gas pedal and then stomp on the brake abruptly,” Noble said.
AAA recommends drivers prepare emergency kits for their vehicles including a flashlight, shovel, warm clothes, and traction aids like salt, sand, ice melt or kitty litter to help get unstuck from snow.
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