Governor Ned Lamont Urges Connecticut Residents to Prepare as Blizzard Warnings Take Effect
Governor Ned Lamont has ordered a partial activation of the state’s emergency apparatus and warned residents to plan ahead as a powerful nor'easter is forecast to bring heavy snow, damaging winds and coastal flooding beginning the night of Sunday, February 22, 2026, and continuing through Monday, February 23, 2026. The move signals statewide readiness as warnings covering the entire state take effect ahead of the storm.
Development details
Weather models show the southern half of Connecticut could see between 16 and 22 inches of snow while the northern half is expected to receive between 10 and 16 inches, with some guidance projecting even higher totals. Strong wind gusts that may exceed 50 miles per hour are a primary concern for officials, and moderate coastal flooding is expected at times of high tide. The National Weather Service definition of a blizzard—winds over 35 miles per hour for at least three hours with visibilities frequently under a quarter mile—has been cited as a benchmark for the conditions Connecticut may face.
Officials have issued a layered set of alerts across the state: Winter Storm Watches for northern Connecticut, Winter Storm Warnings for southern Connecticut, and Blizzard Warnings along the coast. Those Blizzard Warnings are set to begin at 6: 00 a. m. on Sunday and continue until 6: 00 p. m. on Monday.
Governor Ned Lamont orders partial EOC activation
To coordinate the state response, Governor Ned Lamont directed a partial, in-person activation of the Connecticut Emergency Operations Center beginning at 5: 00 p. m. on Sunday. The five regional emergency management offices will also move to partial activation at locations across the state. Under state protocol, a partial activation brings together partners from the primary agencies responsible for emergency management to coordinate continually during the event; additional agencies remain on standby for a possible full activation if conditions require broader engagement.
The Connecticut Department of Transportation has positioned more than 600 snowplows and specialized pieces of equipment for statewide deployment, with crews prepared to operate around the clock as needed to clear roads and restore safe travel. Motorists are being urged to plan ahead and avoid travel during the height of the storm; state officials emphasized travel will likely be dangerous during the heaviest snowfall and strongest winds.
Immediate impact
The forecasted combination of heavy snowfall and gusts over 50 miles per hour raises two immediate hazards: whiteout conditions that will sharply reduce visibility and widespread drifting that can quickly make roads impassable. The state’s blizzard-focused warnings reflect the prospect of sustained winds above blizzard thresholds for multiple hours, creating the potential for extended travel disruptions across coastal and inland communities alike.
Coastal towns face an added threat of moderate flooding at high tide, increasing the risk to beachfront roads and low-lying infrastructure. The partial activation of the Emergency Operations Center is intended to centralize response efforts to those impacts, coordinate resource deployment, and communicate safety guidance to residents throughout the event.
Forward outlook
Key milestones in the immediate response are scheduled: the Emergency Operations Center partial activation at 5: 00 p. m. Sunday and Blizzard Warnings beginning at 6: 00 a. m. Sunday, continuing through 6: 00 p. m. Monday. State crews and regional offices will monitor conditions continuously and stand ready to shift to full activation if the storm’s impacts broaden or intensify.
Officials have highlighted that the forecast changed rapidly in the 24 hours before the announcement, prompting accelerated preparatory steps. What makes this notable is the convergence of high snowfall totals with very strong winds and coastal flooding risk—all of which drive the decision to limit travel and mobilize emergency operations in advance of the storm.
Residents are advised to stay alert for updates over the weekend, plan for potential interruptions to travel and services, and follow guidance from state emergency managers and transportation crews as conditions evolve through Monday.
