By Shannon Hicks & Kendra Bobowick

Newtown residents awoke on Tuesday to the sound of rumbling plows cleaning the final snow from the latest snow storm. Public Works crews, who had been working to keep up with falling snow that began around 9 am Monday, were back by about 3:30 Tuesday morning to make sure roads were safe for all drivers. A two-hour delay for schools gave crews additional time to do their rounds.

Monday's snow was steady through most of the day, dropping sticky snow onto the remnants of what fell on February 5. The third storm of the year, the weekday event added about 6 inches of snow to what was already on the ground across much of town.

By mid morning roads were slippery in many locations. A number of vehicles had difficulty heading north on Hawleyville Road (Route 25) where it becomes steep heading into Brookfield, while others had a hard time maneuvering the steep section of Mt Pleasant Road (Route 6) where it meets Hawleyville Road.

A number of minor motor vehicle accidents were reported during the day. While most involved drivers striking trees or poles, or sliding off roadways - all without injury to drivers - one accident required response from both Newtown Police and Hook & Ladder firefighters.

Late in the afternoon a vehicle damaged a pole and wires on Sugar Street (Route 302) in the area of Sugar Hill Lane, and necessitated the elevated response. The driver of that vehicle was also reportedly uninjured, but a crew from Eversource was also summoned due to the wires involved in that accident.

By the afternoon, a snow-filled hillside waited at the feet of a group of Newtown High School students taking advantage of the day's early dismissal.

With snowboards and sleds balanced at its peak, a steep slope at Treadwell Park was briefly a winter playground for seven high school students adding the only color to a white-washed landscape Monday afternoon.

Zach Hamar got on his board and rode swiftly down onto a field, his momentum carrying him several yards before he turned to watch his friends rush after him on sleds.

After struggling back uphill through light, slick snow, Zach's next trip down was on a sled behind Joanna Vodola. Ready to make a run at the same time was Katie Mossbarger on a snowboard, and Matt Guinee, gripping his sled. Although the four started off evenly, the sledders' luck held until halfway down, where they toppled over. Matt ended up tumbling along without his sled after a bumpy ride tore it away from him.

Owen Richards set his ski goggles in place before his trip down, where he skidded beside Dan McCarthy, who ended up covered with snow after a spill. Maren Brady also grabbed a spot on a sled run, laughing and bouncing across the wintry ground.

Time after time the group shuffled boards and sleds, carving tracks into the snow's fresh surface. Snow fell lightly, but steadily throughout Monday afternoon.

Monday's snow continued steadily through the afternoon before appearing to taper off around 5. A second round of snow held on for a few hours, however, slowly adding no more than an inch on the ground before finally stopping for a few hours.

Public Works worked until nearly 10:30 Monday night, before heading home until their scheduled return early Tuesday.

While western Connecticut received new snow on Monday, the storm system was much stronger in eastern Connecticut, and much of eastern New England. Winter Storm Mars created the need for Blizzard Warnings for parts of Massachusetts including Cape Cod, as well as Rhode Island.

Blizzard conditions were officially verified on Monday on Nantucket Island where wind gusts up to 65 mph were recorded. Blizzard conditions were also confirmed in Chatham, Hyannis, Falmouth, Plymouth and on Martha's Vineyard.

Back in Newtown, light snow began falling again around 8 am Tuesday. The National Weather Service and Wunderground are both predicting light snow/flurries for the daylight hours, with snow showers possible for the evening and overnight.