'Bomb' cyclone pounds Stamford
By Kat Russell, Reporter
Stamford Advocate
January 4, 2018
http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/local/article/Snow-falling-and-roads-open-in-Stamford-12473071.php
STAMFORD — Rain, sleet, snow or even a “bomb cyclone” won’t keep Suni Patel from opening her Belltown Road bodega.
“People know I’m always open,” she Thursday as heavy snow and fierce winds pounded Stamford. “They rely on me and it’s my job to take care of my customers.”
Patel opened her shop around dawn on Thursday when “there was only a light dusting of snow on the road.”
She watched from inside her warm little market as the snow piled up throughout the day and wind gusts reached 45 miles per hour, creating up to 2-foot drifts.
In what meteorologists called a “bomb cyclone,” much of the region picked up nearly a foot of snow, which closed schools, caused power outages and delayed Metro-North trains.
Some districts — including Stamford — canceled classes for Friday as well.
Stamford Mayor David Martin said he expected about six to eight inches of snow in the city. He said there were only a few minor car accidents and no one was injured. The storm also caused two broken water mains on Cold Springs Road and Market Street.
Martin described the situation as serious, “but not an emergency.” He said the biggest challenge was keeping up with the rate of snowfall.
“Our crews were out starting at 3 a.m. (Thursday), plowing and salting the roads,” he said. “But the problem is they can’t keep up with the rate of snow falling and the wind gusts, so the roads are pretty slippery. Even though the roads are being plowed, they are still snowy.”
Martin said it usually takes at least four hours for the city’s 50 plows and 100 employees to clear all of the roads once the storm ends. Martin pointed out Stamford has more than 300 miles of roadway — the most in the state — with varying landscapes.
“We have many neighborhoods with narrow roads, there are steep hills and then we have the bigger roads like Tresser Boulevard, and that diversity can create a lot of challenges for our crews,” he said.
Much of the city appeared deserted Thursday, but some businesses remained open, at least for the early part of the day.
Rachid Benhakki, owner of Hoyt Bedford Barber Shop, had about six walk-ins in the morning and said he expected more in the afternoon. The snow doesn’t deter people who really need a haircut, he said.
“We have customers who live around here,” said Benhakki, who can walk to the shop from his home. “It’s hard to close a business. Especially with the holidays when we closed for a few days. Those weeks were rough.”
A few doors down, Odyssey Hair Designs was open — but only to cancel appointments.
Bedford Street Diner was up and running. Its owner said they served a few people who were driving trucks and laying salt on the roads.
“We try to be open for anyone who’s around,” owner Darcey Trudeau said.
They’re always open during storms, Trudeau said, but draw the line at deliveries.
“Unless they’re forecasting the apocalypse,” she said, “we try to be open.”
Downed trees should be reported to the Citizens Service line at 203-977-4140 or the Stamford Police non-emergency line at 203-977-4444.
Staff writers Liz Skalka, Travis Clark and John Nickerson contributed to this story.
“People know I’m always open,” she Thursday as heavy snow and fierce winds pounded Stamford. “They rely on me and it’s my job to take care of my customers.”
Patel opened her shop around dawn on Thursday when “there was only a light dusting of snow on the road.”
She watched from inside her warm little market as the snow piled up throughout the day and wind gusts reached 45 miles per hour, creating up to 2-foot drifts.
In what meteorologists called a “bomb cyclone,” much of the region picked up nearly a foot of snow, which closed schools, caused power outages and delayed Metro-North trains.
Some districts — including Stamford — canceled classes for Friday as well.
Stamford Mayor David Martin said he expected about six to eight inches of snow in the city. He said there were only a few minor car accidents and no one was injured. The storm also caused two broken water mains on Cold Springs Road and Market Street.
Martin described the situation as serious, “but not an emergency.” He said the biggest challenge was keeping up with the rate of snowfall.
“Our crews were out starting at 3 a.m. (Thursday), plowing and salting the roads,” he said. “But the problem is they can’t keep up with the rate of snow falling and the wind gusts, so the roads are pretty slippery. Even though the roads are being plowed, they are still snowy.”
Martin said it usually takes at least four hours for the city’s 50 plows and 100 employees to clear all of the roads once the storm ends. Martin pointed out Stamford has more than 300 miles of roadway — the most in the state — with varying landscapes.
“We have many neighborhoods with narrow roads, there are steep hills and then we have the bigger roads like Tresser Boulevard, and that diversity can create a lot of challenges for our crews,” he said.
Much of the city appeared deserted Thursday, but some businesses remained open, at least for the early part of the day.
Rachid Benhakki, owner of Hoyt Bedford Barber Shop, had about six walk-ins in the morning and said he expected more in the afternoon. The snow doesn’t deter people who really need a haircut, he said.
“We have customers who live around here,” said Benhakki, who can walk to the shop from his home. “It’s hard to close a business. Especially with the holidays when we closed for a few days. Those weeks were rough.”
A few doors down, Odyssey Hair Designs was open — but only to cancel appointments.
Bedford Street Diner was up and running. Its owner said they served a few people who were driving trucks and laying salt on the roads.
“We try to be open for anyone who’s around,” owner Darcey Trudeau said.
They’re always open during storms, Trudeau said, but draw the line at deliveries.
“Unless they’re forecasting the apocalypse,” she said, “we try to be open.”
Downed trees should be reported to the Citizens Service line at 203-977-4140 or the Stamford Police non-emergency line at 203-977-4444.
Staff writers Liz Skalka, Travis Clark and John Nickerson contributed to this story.
