With torrential rain and wind preceding a severe drop in temperatures into the Christmas weekend, town and state officials as well as Eversource are bracing while issuing advisories.

Newtown's Deputy Emergency Preparedness Director (and Health District Director) Donna Culbert on behalf of her team is urging residents to remain vigilant about winter weather preparedness.

"Connecticut is forecast to experience heavy rains, strong winds, and then bitter cold wind chill temperatures Friday night to Monday," Culbert noted in an advisory. "This multi-day event has the potential for localized flooding in flood prone areas, power outages and bitter cold."

According to Weather Underground, the sequence of weather-related events begins with heavy rain forecast for Thursday night into Friday with accompanying high winds bringing the potential for power outages. The current forecast shows anticipated sustained winds between 15-21 miles per hour expected across Newtown beginning around 8 pm Thursday, with some brief periods of weakening Friday morning around 8 am before escalating back up though most of Saturday.

As that system moves through the area temperatures will peak into the mid-50s, possibly triggering thunderstorms Friday morning before the high potential for a flash freeze occurs as temperatures plummet Friday night into Saturday. Frigid temps in the teens and low 20s with wind chills below zero and into the single digits will linger through at least Sunday night.

Highs are not expected to push above the freezing mark day or night until at least Thursday, December 29.

Newtown’s First Selectman and the Emergency Management Office urge residents to be prepared for severe winter weather and ask that every resident make appropriate preparations to ensure personal safety and readiness. Also, take action to protect pets.

In addition:

*Check on any elderly or frail neighbors to be certain they are safe in the weather.

*Be prepared to properly care for pets in severe weather.

*Consider medical needs — review continuity of care from existing professional assistance and supply of medications to home delivery of essential supplies such as oxygen and other specific needs.

*Make a kit with water, food and non-perishable food for minimum of three days, battery operated radio, flashlight, extra batteries, first aid kit, garbage bags, and other sanitation-type materials.

*Be sure that any generators are properly installed and vented away from the house. Never run a generator indoors or in the garage.

*Make a backup plan. Make sure there is a communications plan set up with family members, especially those out of the area who may be worried. Set up a time and method to get in touch with them to let them track the status of members.

*Be informed. Make sure cell phones and other mobile devices are fully charged in the event the power goes out. Be sure to listen to the local authorities and weather stations for information on the storm’s progression.

Warming Stations, Emergency Numbers

Residents can seek relief from the cold at:

*Newtown Community Center, 8 Simpson Street (203-270-4349) — Saturday, December 24, 7 am to 1 pm. The community center will be closed December 25.

*Newtown Police Station community room, 191 South Main Street.

Important numbers and contact information:

If there is a life safety emergency, call 911. The PD Routine Line is 203-426-5841.

Connecticut’s free information and referral service: call 211 or visit 211ct.org

Power outage, call 800-286-2000 (Eversource).

CodeRED — register at Emergency Management on the Public Safety page on the Town of Newtown’s website (newtown-ct.gov/emergency-management) or call 203-270-4370 for assistance.

Smart 911 — register at Emergency Management on the Public Safety page on the Town of Newtown’s website (newtown-ct.gov/emergency-management).

Check News and Announcements on the Town website (newtown-ct.gov), and register there to receive news (newtown-ct.gov/subscribe).

The Newtown Bee will also be monitoring the storm's progress along with local emergency services ad road conditions. Updates can be found on The Bee's Facebook and Twitter pages, and at newtownbee.com.

First Selectman’s office, 203-270-4201

Newtown Human Services, 203-270-4330

Emergency Management/Fire Marshal, 203-270-4370

Newtown Health District, 203-270-4291

Governor Ned Lamont has announced that based on weather forecasts, he will be activating the state’s severe cold weather protocol beginning at 6 pm Friday, December 23. That protocol will remain in effect through noon Monday, December 26. This is the first time the protocol is being enacted during the 2022-23 winter season.

The purpose of the protocol is to ensure that the most vulnerable populations receive protection from the severe cold conditions, which could be life threatening if exposed to the elements for extended periods of time. While enacted, a system is set up for state agencies and municipalities to coordinate with United Way 211 and Connecticut’s network of shelters to make sure that anyone in need can receive shelter from the outdoors, including transportation to shelters.

Anyone in need is urged to call 211 to get connected to these services. Safety measures have been enacted at shelters and warming centers throughout Connecticut to adhere to the needs of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

For additional emergency management news and resources, visit the state’s CTPrepares website at ct.gov/ctprepares or download the CTPrepares app to mobile devices at the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.

Eversource Gearing Up

Additionally, Eversource is closely monitoring several weather forecasts and planning accordingly. The combination of soaking rain and strong winds can easily bring down trees and tree limbs onto power lines and equipment causing outages.

The energy company’s line and tree crews are preparing equipment and vehicles so they can quickly respond when and where needed. Eversource is also bringing in hundreds of outside crews in addition to the regular complement of contractors to assist with restoring power if needed.

Eversource is also collaborating with leaders in all of the communities it serves and will activate its Municipal Hub to ensure close coordination during and after the storm. The hub allows community leaders to report blocked roads and outages at critical facilities to the energy company.

Steve Sullivan, president of Eversource Connecticut, acknowledges that the timing of the storm, just before Christmas, "is less than ideal and we’re taking all necessary actions now so our team is ready to respond to whatever this storm may bring.

“We’ll have crews prepositioned at our work centers throughout the state before the storm hits so they can immediately get to any damage locations and restore power as quickly as possible," Sullivan added. "Our employees who work in the field and behind the scenes are ready to give up their holiday time off to ensure our customers can enjoy their Christmas weekend.”

As this storm is expected to deliver heavy rains, Eversource also reminds customers flooding can cause damage to a home furnace or other natural gas appliances and some natural gas heating systems may be affected in the event of a power interruption. If flooding is severe, natural gas appliances should not be used until inspected by a licensed plumber or contractor. Once that is completed, Eversource can turn gas service back on and safely relight appliances.

Eversource reminds customers to always stay clear of downed wires and to report them immediately to 911. Be sure to report any outage online at Eversource.com or by calling 800-286-2000. Customers who signed up for the company’s two-way texting feature can send a text to report an outage and receive outage updates as they happen.