Get ready to move your car again before going to sleep Sunday — as the city braces for another winter storm.
This time it’s expected to be a snow-sleet-snow storm. In that order.
Which makes it tricky and potentially more hazardous.
That was the word at a 1:30 press briefing Sunday at the city’s Emergency Operations Center in the bowels of the 200 Orange St. government office building.
The briefing concerned a storm expected to begin around 7 p.m. Sunday and last 24 hours.
Mayor Toni Harp announced that a parking ban will take effect at 1 a.m. The city will ban parking on downtown streets. (Free parking will be available at the Granite Square garage on State Street. Beginning at 5:30 p.m. people can park at the Temple Street Garage for $3 per day.)
Everywhere else in town, parking will be banned on the odd side of the street. Neighbors are asked to park on the even side of the street, in driveways, or else at school parking lots, which are being made available.
The city will tow cars parked in defiance of the ban, said emergency operations chief Rick Fontana.
Harp noted that many people will be “out and about” during the storm Sunday night because of the Super Bowl. She asked people to exercise caution.
Paul Bass Photo
Pescosolido and Fontana at Sunday’s briefing.
Fontana said the city’s ready to tackle the storm, ice and all. “In honor of the Super Bowl,” he vowed, “there will be no fumbles.”
Predictions of snow accumulation range from about 8 to 12 inches. The storm is expected to begin as snow; then, some time around the Monday morning rush hour, it is expected to turn into sleet or freezing rain. Snow is expected to resume falling later Monday.
That means you might see some snow trucks traveling major streets with the plows raised, according to public works chief Jeff Pescosolido.
Plows can’t get ice off streets as easily as snow. So when snow is on the street, plows will clear it as usual. When freezing rain falls, the trucks will instead leave a layer of snow below it, meanwhile putting down salt and sand for traction, Pescosolido said. When the snow returns, the trucks will resume scooping it all up.
The plan is to plow major thoroughfares — snow emergency routes — overnight, then turn attention to side streets as well on Monday.
Regular Monday garbage pick-up is scheduled, so neighbors on the Monday route should still put out bins Sunday.
