Good evening, this is First Selectwoman Peggy Lyons with important information relating to a powerful winter storm event expected to impact Madison over the next few days.
Unfortunately, as we enter a very busy time of year, a powerful storm tomorrow night into Friday is expected to generate a long period of strong winds and heavy rainfall in southeastern Connecticut, followed by a severe drop in temperatures.
Strong winds are forecast to gust to 45 – 60 MPH at times starting at midnight Thursday night and continue during the day on Friday, potentially causing numerous power outages. Heavy rain is likely to cause minor to moderate flooding, and moderate coastal flooding may occur during high tide late Friday morning. A coastal flood warning has been issued for our area that could results in up to 3 feet of inundation above ground level in low lying, vulnerable areas. This could also include 3 to 5 feet breaking waves in Long Island Sound, impacting our beach roads. The potential for major flooding on Friday morning will depend on the direction and strength of winds through the time of high tide.
In addition to wind and rain, very cold air is forecast to move into the state Friday afternoon with wind chills near zero Friday and Saturday nights and temperatures remaining below freezing until next Tuesday. This will cause icy road conditions and hazards for any homes that remain without power over the weekend.
All residents should be preparing for this storm event, including securing loose items outside that might be thrown around by wind or rain, making any travel plans in advance to avoid flood prone areas, preparing for coastal flooding in our beach communities, and preparing for possible power outages throughout Town. In the event of power outages, be sure to run generators outdoors and away from windows and doors.
The Town Emergency Operations Team is making storm preparations and coordinating with Eversource for possible power outages. Please contact 911 if you are experiencing an emergency or see a downed power line blocking a road. Do not approach it. If you experience a power outage at your home, please contact Eversource at 1-800-286-2000 or visit them online at https://www.eversource.com/cg/customer/reportoutage. You can also sign up to receive outage alerts via text, email or phone by logging into your Eversource account or texting 23129.
Stay safe Madison and best wishes for a happy and healthy holiday season!
Peggy Lyons
First Selectwoman