Connecticut, 2000

Winter Storm in Connecticut, February 18, 2000

February 18, 2000 · NWS OKX · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

With cold air in place, as a warm front approached from the south and a weak low pressure system moved northeast along the coast, light snow developed from around 7:30 am in Fairfield County (7:41 am at Bridgeport Airport) to around 11 am in New London County (10:50 am at Groton Airport). Snowfall became heavy, falling at the rate of at least 1 inch per hour from around 1 pm to 6 pm from south…

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
4

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS OKX wrote it up.

With cold air in place, as a warm front approached from the south and a weak low pressure system moved northeast along the coast, light snow developed from around 7:30 am in Fairfield County (7:41 am at Bridgeport Airport) to around 11 am in New London County (10:50 am at Groton Airport). Snowfall became heavy, falling at the rate of at least 1 inch per hour from around 1 pm to 6 pm from south to north. Snow changed to freezing rain from around 5 pm to 7 pm from south to north.This first round of heavy precipitation resulted in from around 4 inches of snow along the immediate Connecticut coast to around 7 inches inland, which was followed by up to a 1/8th-inch thick ice coating. This dangerous mix of precipitation caused serious and widespread traffic disruptions.Here are selected snowfall amounts:For Fairfield County: from 4 inches at Bridgeport Airport and Norwalk to 7 inches at Redding.For New Haven County: from 4 inches at Milford to 6 inches at Wolcott.For Middlesex County: from 3.5 inches at Old Saybrook to 5 inches at Haddam.For New London County: from 3.5 inches at Groton Airport to 6.3 inches in Norwich.A second low pressure system moved east from Pennsylvania, and passed "just" south of Long Island overnight. This low produced a light mix of freezing rain and sleet across the region early Saturday, February 19th.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

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Event by event

4 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Northern Fairfield

When
February 18, 8:20 PM EST
Where
Northern Fairfield forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
41.285, -73.339 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Northern New Haven

When
February 18, 9:00 PM EST
Where
Northern New Haven forecast zone
Reported by
DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
Coordinates
41.443, -72.965 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Northern Middlesex

When
February 18, 9:00 PM EST
Where
Northern Middlesex forecast zone
Reported by
DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
Coordinates
41.451, -72.508 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Northern New London

When
February 18, 9:00 PM EST
Where
Northern New London forecast zone
Reported by
DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
Coordinates
41.504, -72.101 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Winter Storm
A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Connecticut in 2000Every state in 2000This day in weather historyWarnings in Connecticut, February 2000

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5127575, 5127576, 5127577, 5127578.