All of Newtown's Highway Department crews and trucks were out and working during a 9:30 am check-in from The Newtown Bee as Winter Storm Niko continued trundling northeastward up the coast on February 9.A Winter Storm Warning remains in effect across the state until 6 pm.a CodeRED alert in Newtown notified nonessential local town workers to stay home as well. Gov Malloy said many of the states larger businesses were also cooperating which greatly reduced traffic and congestion, particularly in the Hartford region.

Newtown Police reported no significant incidents aside from a couple of vehicles sliding off local roads. At least two incidents occurred on Mt Pleasant Road between 7:30 and 8:30 Thursday morning. No injuries were reported in either accident, but the guide lines of one utility pole were snapped after an automobile slid into the pole near Academy Lane.

Police are enforcing a parking ban, however, and anyone in violation is subject to a tow and/or fine per town ordinance.

They are asking all vehicle owners to be sure their vehicles are off town and state roads so plows can clear to the curb. Vehicles will be towed at owners expense, per a CodeRED alert issued around 9 am Thursday.

Private plow drivers and homeowners are also reminded that by another local ordinance, snow cannot be pushed or shoveled into roadways. Doing so may result in a fine.

Governor Dannel Malloy told reporters at a 9 am briefing from the State Emergency Management Center in Hartford that State Police had responded to around 100 crashes since snow began early this morning.

None of the accidents locally, or across the state involved fatalities, although the governor said several injuries were reported after crashes elsewhere in Connecticut.

Eversource indicated that at around 9:40 am the only outages being experienced were in Southington and Old Saybrook. The governor said both state utility companies had full compliments of tree crews and line technicians standing by.

Regional forecasts from Weather Underground have been warning of possible wind gusts up to 45 miles per hour, which could take down trees and power lines. Also, temperatures are expected to fall into the single digits overnight causing the governor to activate cold weather emergency protocols.

Gov Malloy said once the storm moves off Thursday evening, wind chills will push temperatures to or below zero.

Maximum hourly snowfall rates are expected to range from 1 to just over 3 inches, causing snow to rapidly accumulate as temperatures fall through the 20s. The governor said some areas were already seeing 4 inch per hour snowfall volume, but that volume was only being sustained in short bands.

Isolated rumbles of thunder may accompany the heavy snowfall rates. Governor Malloy said he heard a rumble of "thunder snow" earlier near the Hartford, West Hartford border. A few Sandy Hook residents were posting on their Facebook pages that they too had heard such rumbles. 

The governor said added state emergency personnel were on duty, and that he put approximately 700 state National Guard troops on readiness alert, if needed.

He activated a call for all nonessential state employees to remain home Thursday, and

The governor said nearly 800 state plow trucks and contractors were working to keep highways and state roads open. He did not anticipate closing any highways, but said there was a partial travel ban for large trucks in the Newburgh, NY area along I-84.

He warned any motorists who had to travel Thursday to beware of, and keep well clear of plow vehicles. He said several of the state's new multi-lane plow rigs were in operation, and they posed a particular risk for drivers attempting to pass.

Once Storm Niko passes, snow accumulations could exceed 10 to 14 inches. Until then travel is extremely dangerous.