Zero-Degree Windchill, 50-mph Gusts Possible Tuesday In Fairfield

FAIRFIELD, CT — Temperatures will plummet into the teens Monday night in Fairfield, and Tuesday will feel bitterly cold too, with windchills as low as zero degrees possible. Wind gusts could reach 50 mph Tuesday. Welcome to March.

Gov. Ned Lamont activated the state's Severe Cold Weather Protocol for Monday and Tuesday. A wind advisory is in effect from 4 p.m. Monday to 4 p.m. Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service.

The protocol sets up a system for state agencies and municipalities to coordinate with United Way 2-1-1 and Connecticut's network of shelters to ensure that the most vulnerable populations receive protection from the severe conditions, state officials said.

Anyone in need of shelter and transportation to shelters is urged to call 2-1-1. Safety measures have been enacted at shelters to adhere to the needs of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Lamont added in a news release.

While activated, the protocol enacts the following measures:

• The state uses a web-based system to monitor capacity at shelters across the state, enabling 2-1-1 to act as a clearinghouse to assist in finding shelter space for those who need it. Local officials can alert 2-1-1 and the state when they open temporary shelters or warming centers.
• The Department of Social Services, Department of Housing, and Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services coordinate with 2-1-1 and the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness, along with community-based providers, to provide transportation for people seeking shelter.

Here's the full Fairfield forecast, via the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 16 degrees. Windchill values between zero and 10 degrees. Blustery, with a northwest wind 14 to 23 mph, with gusts as high as 46 mph.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 33 degrees. Windchill values between zero and 10. Breezy, with a northwest wind 17 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 50 mph.

Tuesday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 25 degrees. Wind chill values between 15 and 20 degrees. Southwest wind 8 to 13 mph.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 47 degrees. Wind chill values between 15 and 25 degrees early. West wind 8 to 11 mph.

Patch Connecticut Regional Manager Brian McCready contributed to this report.