This is First Selectman Mike Tetreau with a report from Fairfield’s Emergency Management team as of 2 p.m. on Sunday.

Even though the sky is blue and the winds calm, Fairfield is still under a state of emergency. We are asking residents to stay off the roads to allow our DPW crews to continue with clean up. If anyone does venture out, please realize that snow banks limit visibility especially at intersections.  Please also keep an eye out for pedestrians walking in the roads. As night falls and temps drop, be careful for black ice.

DPW is reporting that our primary goal is to get one pass, one lane open on all roads. This may not be fully achieved until Monday. The road clearing progress is going slower than anticipated due to the large amounts of snow and the need for pay loaders to assist with clearing.  We need to have roads clear for school buses before schools can open. We will provide updates on our progress tomorrow. It may take 2-3 days to get everything back to normal.

We are awaiting word on whether Metro-North will provide train service to Fairfield on Monday. We have the dilemma of choosing between road clearing and clearing the parking lot.  We will provide updates later today but plan on limited parking at the train stations tomorrow morning.

We want to thank everyone for their cooperation and patience as we continue the road clearing activities.

If you do get out to shovel, it would be a big help if you would clear snow away from any fire hydrants.

We will be opening the Town Hall Call Center for non emergency calls as of 9am on Monday. Please call 203-254-4899 for non emergencies and 911 for life threatening emergencies.

Thanks for your help and stay safe.

This is First Selectman Mike Tetreau with a report from Fairfield’s Emergency Management team as of 6 p.m.  Saturday evening.

It is now reported that Fairfield received 30 inches of snow causing drifts as high as 4-5 feet.

UI is now reporting some outages. In most cases, DPW has to clear the roads for the UI crews to get access to repair the lines. We are working very closely with UI to get power back to these residents as soon as possible.

The Governor has recently opened roads. However we are still asking residents to stay off the roads to allow our DPW crews to continue with clean up. If anyone does venture out, please realize that snow banks limit visibility especially at intersections.  Keep an eye out for pedestrians walking in the roads also.

DPW is reporting that almost all of our main roads are clear. They are also reporting that approximately 75 percent of our side streets are clear. The road clearing progress is going slower than anticipated due to the large amounts of snow and the need for pay loaders to assist with clearing. We have 380 cul-de-sacs that will most likely not be fully cleared until Monday.  We will provide updates on our progress tomorrow.

With temperatures dropping into single digits and wind chills reaching minus degrees, we are asking everyone one to stay home, stay warm and stay safe. We want to thank everyone for their cooperation and patience as we continue the road clearing activities.

Also, we are expecting rain and possibly more snow on Monday. This rain may cause excessive weight load on roofs especially flat roofs.  Please take appropriate precautions if your roofs are heavily weighted with snow.

Please check in on your neighbors especially the elderly and those with special needs.

If you get out to shovel it would be a big help if you would clear snow away from any fire hydrants.

Please call 203-254-4899 for non emergencies and 911 for life-threatening emergencies.

And if you get a chance be sure to thank our DPW crews out on the road!

Thanks for your help and stay safe.

This is First Selectman Mike Tetreau with a report from Fairfield’s Emergency Management team as of 8:30 Saturday morning.

Fairfield received an estimated 2-3 feet of snow causing drifts as high as 4-5 feet.

The Governor has closed all roads until further notice. This means all roads in town not just state highways. Abandoned cars left in roads have complicated our clean-up efforts.

Emergency vehicles are having a difficult time responding with current road conditions. We have seen police and fire vehicles get stuck in the snow throughout the night.

Our DPW crews have been on the job since 7am Friday morning. The snow was so heavy at times that even our snow plows were getting stuck. Police/Fire/ECC personnel are all on holdover. They can’t get home and new shifts can’t get in.

We estimate that 50 percent of our main roads are clear. We are projecting to have the rest of the main roads cleared later today. The next priority will be side streets. We have 380 cul de sacs that will not be cleared until Sunday.

We are asking everyone one to stay home and stay safe. Please be patient. We need time to clear the roads.

Please check in on our your neighbors especially the elderly and those with special needs.

If you do get out to shovel it would be a big help if you would clear snow away from any fire hydrants.

Thanks for your help. Stay safe.

Skies are expected to clear later Saturday as the clean up of 2 to 3 feet of snow dumped on the region gets under way.

Only the redoubtable Mike’s Pizza was still doing business in the center of town.

Meanwhile …

The proverbial bowling ball could have been rolled down the middle of the Post Road (U.S. 1, for gosh sakes) and hit … nothing.

And over at the downtown railroad station here’s a sign that could break a late-night commuter’s heart …

But the “Service Change” has so far not stopped Metro-North trains from rolling through, in both directions, on a reduced schedule.  Here’s an eastbound train now …

Didn’t look like a soul got off. We’ll see about tomorrow.

Meantime, seems like someone left those eerie pink lights on at the psychic’s shop on Miller Street.

Snow has changed to a driven, icy sleet mix for the time being … but a forceful snowy re-boot is expected late night.

FIRE CHIEF ANDREW KINGSBURY, Westport’s emergency management director
“It’s actually been pretty quiet, except for a couple of motor vehicle accidents. We’re just waiting to see what’s going to happen. There’s still quite a bit of storm left. We’d advise residents to stay inside and stay put.”
Fire officials also say there are no plans, as of Friday afternoon, to open the town’s emergency shelter at Long Lots Elementary School.

DORIS JACOBY, Weston resident and visiting the Westport Public Library
“I’m looking forward to going home and hunkering down with heat, water and light. It’s kind of nice not have any appointments with this weather. There’s tranquility.”

STACIE KAPETANEAS, manger, Coffee An’ shop on Main Street
“We have a lot of people coming in today, looking to get out of the storm, and get something hot to eat or drink. We’re doing fine so far, so we can’t complain.”

JIMMY IZZO, owner, Ace Hardware Store on Main Street
“There’s been heavy traffic coming in for everything from ice melter, snow shovels, batteries, firewood, heaters, flashlights, windshield washer fluid and traction sand. It really pumps up the business and we’re looking to sell a lot of sleds tomorrow.”
He said business this week has matched the lead up the December 2010 blizzard. The demand for storm supplies picked up Thursday and continued Friday, with the storm very busy as of 7 a.m. Friday.

ROSS DENER, Staples High School senior
“It’s exciting being one of the last few people out here in the storm. It’s kind of cool to see Westport without many people around. If the power goes out, I’ll probably be kind of irritated.”

RILEY WARD, Staples High School senior
“It’s Friday, I don’t want to be cooped up inside.”

This is First Selectman Mike Tetreau with a message from Fairfield’s Emergency Management Team.

As of 11:30 a.m. Friday, I have declared a state of emergency for the town of Fairfield.

We are preparing for a very significant storm with blizzard conditions.

The snow and winds will continue to intensify over the next 24 hours with winds tonight at 30-40 mph and gusts to 60 mph. Potential snowfall of 16 to 20 inches overnight

We expect coastal flooding around the high tide mark of 9:45 PM tonight.

Fairfield Town Hall is closed as of 11 a.m. this morning.

We are asking everyone to stay off the roads. Please get home and stay home as soon as possible.

UI is projecting 10% to 50% potential power outages and restoration may take as long as 2-3 days. Please look after the elderly or those with special needs in your neighborhood.

If you experience a power outage, please report it directly to UI at 1-800-722-5584

Please do not park on the street to help with road clearing activities.

If needed, we are prepared to open an emergency shelter. Stay tuned for updates.

Call 203-254-4899 for any non-emergencies, and 911 for life threatening emergencies.

Stay tuned to local news media, our town web site as well as police, fire, town Facebook pages for updates on the storm and road closures.

Thank you and stay safe.

Westport’s municipal offices, the Westport Public Library and the Westport Weston Family Y all closed at noon. Saturday’s library program, “Designers Under 30” is cancelled, but Saturday night’s WestportREADS “Gatsby” party at the library is still on — at least as of midday Friday.

The Westport Arts Center is closed and the MTC performance of “Ancestral Voices” has been cancelled Friday night.

The day started off with all public and parochial schools closed and the list just grew from there.

All non-essential Fairfield town offices closed at 11 a.m. and the Fairfield Public Library closed at noon, and will not be re-opening Saturday.

The town’s trash transfer station and recycling center were set to close at 1 p.m. and they will not be open Saturday.

The Pequot Library in Southport is closed.

As of 11:30 a.m., the Fairfield YMCA on the Old Post Road expected to close its doors at 4 p.m.

At Fairfield University, all Friday classes after 12:30 p.m. were cancelled and all Saturday classes, including the LSAT exam, are cancelled. The Barone Campus Center dining room will be open until 8 p.m., while the Stag Snack Bar will close at 4 p.m.

At Sacred Heart University, the shuttle will run until 1 p.m. and all classes are called off for Friday and Saturday. Campus offices will close at noon.