UPDATE (Monday, January 23; 4:17 pm): This story has been updated to include information from the Town of Newtown.

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A strong coastal storm that has been moving north along the East Coast since the weekend, and had been threatening New England with heavy wind and rain, appears to be weakening as it approaches western Connecticut. Sprinkles and spitty showers observed in Newtown during the Monday morning hours will become steady rain by midafternoon, and continue for about 24 hours before dissipating, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).

Further east and north of Newtown,  the storm "will bring soaking rains and strong winds to much of the Eastern Seaboard through Tuesday. Interior sections of the Northeast could receive significant snow. Also, the prolonged period of strong onshore winds will result in coastal flooding for the Mid-Atlantic and New England," according to the weather service.

As recently as Sunday evening, it appeared that Newtown would be receiving up to three inches of rain once the coastal storm arrived. The storm was originally predicted to arrive in this immediate area by late evening January 22, or early Monday, January 23, but even that has been pushed off as of midday Monday, according to the weather service.

The current Hazardous Weather Outlook covering Newtown calls for local residents to be more concerned with wind issues than rain. Northern Fairfield County, along with northern New Haven, northern Middlesex and northern New London counties, are under a NWS Wind Advisory until 1 am Tuesday, January 24. Winds are expected to be "northeast 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph," according to the advisory, which was updated at 3:48 am Monday. The strongest winds, the advisory states, are expected this afternoon into this evening.

Such strong winds, the weather service cautions, can make driving difficult, especially for high profile vehicles.

As of 7:04 am, NWS had reported a northeasterly gust of 22 mph in Danbury. That was on the lower level of that hour's recordings. A weather station in Stamford recorded a 43 mph gust at 7:13; Central Park registered a 44 mph gust at 8:04 am; and 47 mph gusts were recorded at Eatons Neck (8:05 am) and along Montauk Highway (8:30 am), both in Suffolk County, Long Island.

By 12:31 Monday afternoon, winds were steadily "gusting to 40-55 mph across Long Island and into SW CT," according to a NWS Facebook post.

Light rain is expected to reach Newtown after 3 pm Monday. Temperatures are predicted to be 38 at their highest, with northeast winds of 24-28 mpg and gusts as high as 45 mph. New precipitation is only expected to be between a tenth and a quarter of an inch, according to NWS.

Monday evening will continue with "rain and sleet, becoming all rain after midnight." The weather service has no doubt that Newtown will receive steady rain overnight, saying, "Chance of precipitation is 100 percent" for that time period on its website at midday Monday.

Once it arrives rain could be heavy at times. It could also be mixing as sleet, especially after midnight.

Temperature low will be around 36, but wind chill values will make it feel more like 25-30. Northeast winds will continue at 24-31 mph, with gusts reaching as high as 45 mph.

By Tuesday, rain will continue until midafternoon. It will be another cloudy day, with a recorded high of near 40 - but breezes and winds of 13-20 mph could make it feel more like 30-35.

NWS expects no more than another quarter of an inch of precipitation on Tuesday, when the chance of precipitation drops to 70 percent.

By Tuesday evening, rain slows even further, with a 30 percent chance of rain mainly before 9 pm. The overnight will be cloudy, "then gradually becoming partly cloudy, with a low around 32," according to NWS.

Wednesday will dawn brighter and drier. A mostly sunny day is predicted for January 25, "with a high near 45," and southwest wind around 8 mph.

The Town of Newtown issued a Severe Weather Alert late Monday afternoon, noting the strongest winds and rain are expected in our area between 7 pm Monday night and 4 am Tuesday morning.

"Newtown's First Selectman and the Emergency Management Office urge residents to be prepared for severe weather and ask that every resident make appropriate preparations to ensure personal safety and readiness," the alert said in part. "Please review your preparedness. We ask that you please check  on any elderly or frail neighbors to be certain they are doing OK in this weather.

"If there is a Life Safety Emergency, call 911; Power outage, call 1-800-286-2000; Code Red, register at

newtown-ct.gov or call 203-270-4370 for assistance; Smart 911, register at newtown-ct.gov."

Closings, Cancellations? Contact The Newtown Bee

*Superintendent of Schools Dr Joseph V. Erardi announced shortly past noon on Monday that all events at Newtown's public schools scheduled for 4 pm and later were canceled due to the potential for icing conditions.

*C.H. Booth Library has canceled this afternoon's YAC (Young Adult Council) meeting due to the forecast.

Any groups or organizations that need to cancel or delay programs, and businesses that will be affected by the weather, are invited to contact

The Newtown Bee. Such notices will be added to this story, and also posted through the newspaper's Facebook and Twitter feeds.

Call 203-426-3141 and ask for Shannon Hicks, or send e-mail directly to

shannon@thebee.com.