Recalling the Christmas Eve Snowstorm of 1966

Although it has been more than a half-century since the Christmas Eve snowstorm of 1966, I still recall it vividly. More than a half-foot of snow blanketed southwestern Connecticut on Saturday, December 24, 1966, resulting in treacherous roads, numerous accidents, and cancelled church services. Officially, 6.9 inches of snow fell at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford, which still stands as a record for the date.

According to an article which appeared in the Bridgeport Sunday Post the following day, the "weather plight was part of an old-fashioned Nor'easter, which brought icy cold, high winds, and a blanket of snow to most of the East (coast)." Gale force winds hammered the region through most of the storm. Take a look at the front page newspaper article from December 25, 1966:

I recall my Dad attempting to drive my family, including my Mom, brother, sister, and me to my grandmother's home in Bridgeport for our traditional Christmas Eve dinner. However, after sliding and skidding several times, our car got stuck on a hill in Fairfield. After several minutes, my Dad was able to gain some traction, and we decided to head home and avoid any more perils on the roads.

I was only eight years old and in third grade at the time, but it's a Christmas Eve I'll never forget.

Paul

First Snow of the Season Expected Across Southwestern Connecticut Sunday Night

Less than an inch of snow is expected across coastal southwestern Connecticut through Monday at 7 a.m. EST, while two-to-three inches may fall in extreme northern Fairfield and New Haven counties. Here is the latest NWS forecast map. pic.twitter.com/AiUEq56wHR

— Paul Piorek (@PaulPiorek) December 10, 2022

Today's Sunset is Earliest of the Calendar Year

This evening's sunset in Fairfield was at 4:24 p.m. EST, marking the earliest sunset of the year. Why does the earliest sunset happen nearly two weeks before the Winter Solstice? It’s because the Earth orbits the Sun in an elliptical shape instead of a circle. pic.twitter.com/EZOzlltd9U

— Paul Piorek (@PaulPiorek) December 9, 2022

Lunar Occultation of Mars Visible Over Most of North America This Evening

A lunar occultation of Mars will begin shortly after sundown on Wednesday for viewers in North America. Mars will disappear behind the Full Cold Moon and reappear an hour later. https://t.co/AhupeI0jbb pic.twitter.com/xhPulp1Dke

— Paul Piorek (@PaulPiorek) December 7, 2022