Blizzard warnings end, digging out continues

New Haven, Conn (WTNH) - The sun peeked out across much of Connecticut Monday afternoon, hours after the last of a wild blizzard rattled homes and dumped several inches of snow on the ground. Roads are getting better but thousands still don't have electricity.

More than 24,600 customers of Connecticut Light & Power had no lights or power as of 4:55 p.m. All of Bridgwater, and large portions of New Milford and Roxbury were without power. More than 600 customers from United Illuminating were also without electricity.

The National Weather Service cancelled its Blizzard Warning a little before 11:00 a.m., and in its place issued a Winter Weather Advisory until midnight in Fairfield, New Haven, Middlesex, New London, Hartford, Tolland and Windham Counties, and until 7:00 a.m. in Litchfield County.

The storm rocked Connecticut with recorded wind gusts of 60 miles an hour in Greenwich, and 56 mph in Madison. In North Haven, the wind blew the roof off of a Valero gas station on Washington Ave., knocked down trees in Guilford, and downed power likes in many areas.

The morning's bad weather affected all modes of transportation, from trains to planes, cars and trucks.

Commuters who reply on Metro-North railroad to get to work were not able to get on board in the morning. Service was suspended on the New Haven Line "due to equipment and switch failures related to the blizzard." Service was eventualy restored in the afternoon on a limited hourly run.

Amtrak, which had suspended service between Boston and New York Sunday night, also resumed service "with some delays and service adjustment caused by blizzard conditions."

The Connecticut Department of Transportation had all of its plow drivers and contractors on the job trying to clear the highways. After plowing all day, the DOT was planning to scale back some crews after 9:00 p.m., and then have trucks back on the roads before the morning rush hour Tureday.

Tweed-New Haven Airport was closed Sunday night and reopened Monday afternoon. Many cancellations were reported at Bradley International airport in Windsor Locks, which closed for more than a hour and a half Monday morning.

In the New York City area, JFK and Newark airport wwere expected to be closed until 6:00 p.m., LaGuardia opened one runway around 4:00 p.m.

The high winds made is difficult to judge just how much snow has fallen. Drifts of more than a foot were common, but in other areas the snow barely covered the road and grass.

National Weather Service spotters and observers reported snowfall amounts from 5" to 18" inches. News 8 viewers reported even greater totals.

• Wilton -- 18.0
• Greenwich -- 17.0
• Stratford -- 16.0
• Norwalk -- 16.0
• Westport -- 14.8
• Danbury -- 14.1
• Bridgeport -- 12.0
• Westbrook -- 9.5
• East Haddam -- 6.5
• Meriden -- 8.8
• Norwich -- 6.0
• Ledyard Center -- 5.0