Updated, Feb. 2, 2015, 8:45 p.m.: Schools will operate on a two-hour delay schedule on Tuesday, Feb. 3, after Monday’s storm dumped an estimated 15 inches of snow on West Hartford.

Clean up of West Hartford’s streets is in progress following the Feb. 2, 2015 snowstorm. Photo credit: John Phillips

By Ronni Newton

Last week’s blizzard found some people disappointed by the dearth of snow, but when this week’s snowstorm ended up longer in duration and with greater snowfall than expected, many started begging for an end to winter.

Social media was full of images of flowers, countdowns to pitchers and catchers reporting for practice, and jealous remarks about those lucky enough to be in sunny and warm climates. There was an image of a menacing wolf with the caption: “The groundhog said six more weeks of winter, so I ate him.”

At 6 p.m., We-Ha.com caught up with Director of Public Works John Phillips who had already been working nearly 24 hours straight.

Phillips was happy to report that the snow had finally moved out, and crews were making good progress and had already gotten all of West Hartford’s main roads passable. “The mains are just about done. We did a great job keeping up with it,” he said.

Phillips said that clearing the neighborhood streets will be “slow going,” because the berms are already taller than the plows and they will have to find somewhere to put the snow.

Clean up of West Hartford’s streets is in progress following the Feb. 2, 2015 snowstorm. Photo credit: John Phillips

“I know that residents are eager to get out there and start clearing, but they really should try to wait or we will be in conflict,” he said. There’s no easy solution, because residents who went to work and are trying to come home won’t be able to get into their driveways without shoveling first, but they need to be aware that the plows will have to come by and aprons will get snowed in again.

He’s also worried about safety, and urged anyone out and about, either shoveling or walking, to wear reflective gear and take other precautions. “It’s very important for you to be seen by our plow truck drivers.”

Phillips said that he had measured the snowfall “hours ago” and at that point 11 inches had fallen. “That was before we had whiteout conditions, where snow was falling at a rate of 3 to 4 inches an hour, and that lasted for about an hour,” he said. The best estimate is that approximately 15 inches of snow fell in West Hartford on Monday.

As for the Tuesday commute, Phillips said, “I am confident that our roads will be very passable and able to handle the morning commute.” They will be snowpacked, he said, and the greatest concern is the frigid temperatures resulting in icing where melting product was used.

Clean up of West Hartford’s streets is in progress following the Feb. 2, 2015 snowstorm. Photo credit: John Phillips

The crews who will be clearing the sidewalks at schools and other municipal buildings need to wait until progress is made on the neighborhood streets, but they will be working through the night as well, Phillips said.

“It will definitely be after midnight until the roads are all cleared, but definitely before sunrise,” he said.

“Parking lots will be a challenge, but what we can move will be moved,” said Phillips. Many residents have left their cars in school and other town-owned parking lots due to the parking ban.

That parking ban will continue at least until midnight and it will be difficult if not impossible to park on the street in West Hartford Center or Blue Back Square even after the ban is lifted. The enormous snow piles in the middle of the roads in those areas won’t be able to be removed until overnight Tuesday, Phillips said.