Date: Fri 23-Feb-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: KAAREN

Quick Words:

weather-snow-record

Full Text:

50-Year Snowfall Record Surpassed

B Y K AAREN V ALENTA

Almost 50 years ago, in the winter of 1947-48, Newtown experienced its worst

winter in recorded history, with storms that dumped 80.8 inches of snow on the

town.

Two years ago the record almost was broken, making the winter of 1993-94 the

second snowiest ever. But last weekend the record finally fell, as a storm

that began Friday afternoon left the Danbury area with a total accumulation of

90.8 inches of snow, according to meterologists at the Techni-Weather Center

on Route 6 near Exit 8.

When the actual record broke around 1:10 pm on Friday, meterologists Greg

Cantwell and Bill Jacquemin broke out champagne and took pictures.

"We take a measurement every hour so we knew it was coming," Mr Cantwell said.

Slippery roads contributed to a few traffic accidents around town after the

storm started. Selectman Jim Mooney also was a casualty of the storm: As he

arrived home from work Friday evening, he slipped on his snow-covered

driveway, fell and broke his right arm.

Newtown budgeted $350,000 for winter storm maintenance this year, of which

$230,000 was specifically for overtime, salt and sand. Another $100,000 was

moved from the contingency account into winter maintenance because, even

before this latest storm, the town already had spent $249,095 on sand, salt

and overtime.

Public Works Director Fred Hurley said road crews were out for 22 hours last

weekend on overtime clearing the roads. But he did not yet have a breakdown of

what the storm cost.

During the winter of 1947-48, the town had to go to extraordinary lengths to

keep the roads open.

"Only by using a bulldozer could roads be kept open and in some cases it was

necessary to use a steam shovel when the snow became too deep for a bulldozer

to handle," The Bee reported in the February 6, 1948 edition.

By that time the town had spent $9,231 of its total $20,000 road budget on

snow removal. So a special town meeting was called, attended by more than 200

people, who voted to authorize another $17,000 for the road fund.

Warm weather and rain late this week washed away most of the snow left by last

weekend's storm.

"I think we might be done for the winter as far as major storms go," Mr

Cantwell said. "We've lost all the artic air - the pattern has shifted

dramatically and it looks like it will continue to be that way for the next

two weeks, which should take us into March and spring."

There still probably will be some snowfall in March, "little events in which

the snow melts in 24 hours," he said.

"The sun will be halfway to its highest point by then," he explained. "The sun

will be very strong. It will be at the same strength that it is in September."

While most of us are fed up with winter, Mr Cantwell is hoping for more snow.

"It would be nice to get 100 inches since we're so close," he said. "Maybe at

night while we're sleeping, and then it can all melt the next day."