Winter Weather in Connecticut, January 18, 2015

Name: Winter Weather in Connecticut, January 18, 2015
Start: 2015-01-18T08:00
End: 2015-01-18T15:40
Location: Connecticut

January 18, 2015 · NWS ALY · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

A storm system moved up the eastern seaboard on Sunday, January 18th. Although the precipitation fell in the form of rain, the ground remained very cold due to recent bitter cold, arctic air.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 2

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 ALY wrote it up.

A storm system moved up the eastern seaboard on Sunday, January 18th. Although the precipitation fell in the form of rain, the ground remained very cold due to recent bitter cold, arctic air. With surface air temperatures around the freezing mark, the rain froze on contact with the ground, producing a thin layer of slippery, black ice. Most areas only saw a tenth of an inch of ice accretion, but this ice was very hazardous to travelers. According to local newspapers, numerous accidents were reported, especially in the early morning hours. With the ground extremely cold, freezing rain was even occurring when surface air temperatures were above freezing.

It took until the mid-afternoon for temperatures to finally warm up enough for freezing rain not to occur. Precipitation also was tapering off by late in the day as well.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Albany, NY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 18, 7:10 AM EST, 50 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 18, 7:10 AM EST, 50 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 18, 5:18 AM EST, 2 hours 42 minutes before

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The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Weather, Northern Litchfield

When: January 18, 8:00 AM EST to 3:40 PM EST
Where: Northern Litchfield forecast zone
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 41.847, -73.221 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Southern Litchfield

When: January 18, 8:00 AM EST to 3:40 PM EST
Where: Southern Litchfield forecast zone
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 41.847, -73.221 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Winter Weather: Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Connecticut in 2015 Every state in 2015 This day in weather history Warnings in Connecticut, January 2015

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 549585, 549586.