West Hartford’s Department of Public Works has issued a parking ban that begins at 5 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026.

By Ronni Newton

West Hartford is bracing for one of the largest snowfalls in several years – paired with an arctic chill – and the town has issued several alerts as well as a delay in trash and recycling pick-up.

The Town of West Hartford announced Friday that a parking ban will be in effect beginning at 5 a.m. Sunday, and will remain in effect until further notice.

According to the National Weather Service, a Winter Storm Warning takes effect beginning at 7 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 25, through 8 p.m. Monday.

Snowfall is expected to begin after 9 a.m. Sunday, with heavy accumulation during the afternoon and into the evening, with total snowfall of 10 to 18 inches possible. Snow will continue into Monday, the National Weather Service predicts, with another 1 to 3 inches possible.

Of major concern will be frigid conditions beginning Friday night when a low of 1ºF forecast with wind chills as low as -12ºF, according to the National Weather Service. High temperatures over the weekend are only expected to be in the mid-teens to low 20s over the weekend, with lows dropping into the single digits and below-zero wind chills for the next week.

In addition to the Winter Storm Warning, the National Weather Service has issued a Cold Weather Advisory for the area that begins Friday at 10 p.m.

“It’s going to be cold, and that will make conditions treacherous,” Public Works Director John Phillips told We-Ha.com. Crews, which had worked all last weekend treating the roadways, and also had to deal the curveball of more snow than expected on Wednesday night, were preparing on Thursday and Friday, ensuring that equipment was in working order and also preparing mentally for an extended shift.

“We expect the snow to begin Sunday morning, and we will be there for the duration,” Phillips said. Public Works is a single-shift operation, he said, so Saturday should be time to rest up and be ready for action on Sunday.

“New Englanders are tough, we can handle a good snowstorm now and again,” said West Hartford resident John Lyons, who is known for providing the community with local weather forecasts and expressed concern and a sense of urgency regarding how cold it’s expected to be.

“What I’m very worried about is this extended and prolonged period of bitterly cold air that’s going to be in our area for the next several days,” Lyons said. “I implore folks to take all precautions and follow all advisories to protect themselves from the cold. Turn your thermostat up a couple of degrees, open any cabinets that have exposed pipes that are on outside facing walls, such as the kitchen sink.”

Also critically important is checking on elderly neighbors who may need assistance due to the snow or cold. Residents are also urged to bring their pets indoors.

Parking ban

The parking ban will begin at 5 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 26, and will be in effect until further notice.

“During a Parking Ban, no on-street parking is allowed so that Public Works crews can remove snow from curb to curb. Cars left on the road create a safety hazard for all concerned. The owner will be fined, and the vehicle may be towed.” the town stated in an announcement.

The Blue Light Parking Ban Notification System, installed recently along Farmington Avenue, from Trout Brook Drive to the Hartford town line, will flash blue to indicate when a parking ban is in effect. The blue lights are located on traffic control mast arms at key signalized intersections.

Public Works, in coordination with the West Hartford Police Department, will strictly enforce the parking ban “to ensure a safe and efficient transportation system for vehicles and pedestrians during snow removal operations.”

Residents are urged to plan ahead to identify alternate, off-street parking locations and to take the parking ban seriously.

Phillips said that compliance with recent parking bans has not been very good, and he is urging people to plan as early as possible. Cars left on the street create obstacles due to preventing full clearing of the roadway, and narrowing of travel lanes.

“If we get 18 inches of snow, we will have significant travel lane shrinkage,” Phillips said, and it also adds to the amount of time it takes to plow if drivers have to navigate around parked cars. And because of the cold weather, the snow won’t quickly melt off the roadways either.

“It pains me to say it, but ticket and tow will be the solution,” Phillips said.

Municipal lots and garages are available for use, as are public school lots. While there is no official announcement about a snow day on Monday, it’s highly likely and the town’s announcement on Friday stated that vehicles must be removed from public school lots by noon on Monday. “This will be strictly enforced. Any cars left in public school lots after 12 p.m. on Monday will be towed.”

Vehicles must be removed from school lots by 9 a.m. Saturday, the town stated.

Pay-to-park fees will apply at municipal center parking lots and garages. Motorists may register their plates using one of the kiosks inside the garage or a mobile app (e.g., the Flowbird app or the PassportParking app).

Those who park in school or outdoor municipal lots are asked to park close together and not leave parking spaces between vehicles to ensure plow driver can clear the snow most efficiently.

Enforcement

The community is asked to comply with the parking ban, and West Hartford Police will proactively assist the Department of Public Works in ensuring that the roads are clear of illegally parked vehicles. The town said that cars in violation of the parking ban will be ticketed and towed.

Snow removal contractors are reminded not to push snow from driveways and private parking lots into the street.

Sidewalks

Per town ordinance, West Hartford property owners are responsible for removing snow and ice from the sidewalk along their property line within 12 hours after the storm or by sunrise – whichever is later. Residents are required to keep sidewalks clear of snow and ice.

It’s particularly important to keep heavily-used sidewalks – those near schools, public buildings, and commercial areas – free and clear. Snow clearing violations should be reported to the West Hartford Police Department at 860-523-5203.

Trash Collection

Trash and recycling collection NOT take place on Monday, Jan. 26, the town has advised.

The collection will be delayed by one day. Monday’s area will be picked up on Tuesday, and Tuesday’s area on Wednesday, and so forth. Residents in the Monday collection area should place barrels at the curb by 6 a.m. on Tuesday.

Hydrants

Residents are also asked to help out the West Hartford Fire Department and keep the community safe by shoveling the area around fire hydrants.

Alerts

Those who are registered with the town to receive alerts have already been notified about the parking ban through Everbridge, which sends automated messages by phone, text, and email. In order to be included in the automated messaging of critical information, sign up here to receive alerts about emergencies and other important community news through West Hartford’s Community Advisory Notification System. 

Check out the Ready.gov website on how to prepare for winter storms.

Check back regularly with We-Ha.com for any updates and storm-related news.

Travel

At a news conference Friday, Gov. Ned Lamont said he is strongly encouraging motorists to avoid travel on Connecticut roads on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026, and anyone who needs to drive should exercise extreme caution and respect snow removal crews that are working to clear the roads. The Connecticut Department of Transportation will deploy all 600 of its snowplows as well as specialized equipment, and will work around the clock to clear state roadways.

“By noon on Sunday we are expecting snowfall to come down at very fast rates and continuing throughout the afternoon and evening and into the early hours of Monday morning, significantly impacting roads and creating whiteout conditions at times,” Lamont said in a statement. “We are strongly urging everyone to make plans in advance to avoid all unnecessary travel on Sunday. Our state snowplow fleet is prepared to clear the roads, and the fewer cars are out there the quicker and safer the snowplow crews can do their work.”

“The best way to be safe in a snowstorm is to stay home and allow our snowplow operators to do their job safely and efficiently,” CTDOT Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto said in a statement. “If you have no other choice than to travel, please slow down, maintain extra distance between vehicles, and never crowd snowplows. Snowplows have limited visibility and need room to operate safely, especially in heavy snowfall.”

The state has also activated the “Severe Cold Weather Protocol” as of Friday afternoon. Anyone in need of shelter or a warming center is urged to visit 211ct.org or call 2-1-1 to find available locations. Transportation can be provided if necessary.

Resources provided by the state:

• For more information about winter driving safety and snowplow awareness, visit nhtsa.gov/winter-driving-tips.
• For updates on incidents that may be impacting state roads, visit CTtroads.org.
• For those who utilize public transportation, visit the transit operator’s website for updates on any potential delays or cancelations.
• To subscribe to emergency alerts through the state’s CT Alert notification system, visit ct.gov/ctalert.
• For emergency management news and resources, visit the state’s CTPrepares website at ct.gov/ctprepares.

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