UPDATE: (Sunday, January 20, 2019) This story was updated at approximately 6 pm to include information received from First Selectman Dan Rosenthal.

UPDATE (Sunday, January 20, 2019): This story was updated updated at 11 am to include the latest utility outages and storm-related information from Governor Ned Lamont.

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Newtown residents are waking up Sunday to find less snow and ice than predicted, but a mix of both did fall across town overnight leaving roads and walkways very treacherous, and hundreds of local homes without power.

A Winter Storm Warning remains in effect for the region until 6 pm Sunday.

Falling branches and trees have created a number of road closures including but not limited to areas of Berkshire, Old Green, and Poverty Hollow roads. As of 11 am Sunday, Eversource was reporting 770 or nearly seven percent of Newtown customers without power.

Public Works crews have been out for hours, and continue to work as of 10 am Sunday, plowing and sanding roadways. Firefighters have been responding to calls for trees and wires down since before daybreak.

Governor Ned Lamont held the second press briefing of this latest storm event from Hartford's state Emergency Operations Center (EOC) at 10:30 am Sunday. He warned the next phase of this "multifaceted" system will cause temperatures to plummet 20 or more degrees by Monday morning.

The governor reminded residents to be aware of, and to pre-treat, areas of their property where black ice could cause falls or other injuries. He said the top priority of 700-plus CT (Department of Transportation) DOT plow drivers and contractors is to keep roads clear of black ice conditions.

That said, the governor appealed to residents to restrict any driving as roads across the state are still slick in many areas.

Gov Lamont is also working with state electric utilities including Eversource to get power restored where it has been interrupted. At the same time he predicted icing conditions will worsen as temperatures drop and will likely contribute to more trees, and power lines, coming down overnight.

The governor said wind gusts are hampering power crews from using bucket trucks, and added that 5,000 or more are currently without power due to major circuit failures in New Haven, which is served by Northeast Utilities.

He urged residents using generators to follow all safety precautions to avoid carbon monoxide getting into dwellings

As Gov Lamont exited the EOC briefing, he reminded residents to call 911 in an emergency, and contact 211 Infoline if someone was in need of household assistance or a local shelter or warming center.

Gov Lamont's parting advice: "Pretty good football on this afternoon, so why doesn't everybody stay home."

At approximately 5:45 pm Sunday evening, First Selectman Dan Rosenthal sent out a CodeRED update, noting that about 20 percent of Newtown was without power due to the storm. Eversource was expected to continue working throughout the night to restore power, with many of the outages reported in Sandy Hook. 

Mr Rosenthal also said that Eversource had observed people using aluminum ladders near power lines, a dangerous situation to be avoided.

The First Selectman said that the Municipal Center at 3 Primrose Street and the Senior Center at 14 Riverside Road will be open on Monday, January 21, from 9 am to 5 pm, as warming and recharging centers.

Closings & Cancellations

Newtown Congregational Church announced on Saturday that this weekend’s Sunday worship service would be canceled. Ministers are not expected in the West Street building today, the notice added.

Edmond Town Hall is closed today; the 1 pm screening of Ralph Breaks The Internet has therefore been canceled.

The 4 pm “Heroic Music for Brass & Organ” Waterbury Symphony Orchestra concert at Trinity Episcopal Church has been canceled. WSO’s publicist told The Newtown Bee on Friday that if this performance needed to be canceled due to weather, it would not be rescheduled. A second performance of the same program, scheduled for January 24 in Waterbury, is still on the calendar.

C.H. Booth Library is closed for the day. The program with Springfield Confidential author Mike Reiss planned for Sunday afternoon has been postponed to Saturday, January 26, at 4 pm, according to information provided to The Newtown Bee. 

The Toy Tree has announced it will be open from 11 am until 3 pm today. Castle Hill Chocolate will be closed for the day. 

EverWonder Children's Museum is closed today. 

Readers are reminded that they can send e-mail to shannon@thebee.com with closing and cancellation information.