Remembering the 2011 Nor’easter That Cancelled Halloween In Connecticut

It was more than anyone bargained for and turned Halloween from being just spooky, to nightmarish.

It became the "perfect storm", and it took place here in Connecticut this week ten years ago back in 2011. Of course, we are referring to what is now being called the "Halloween Nor'easter".

Get our free mobile app

Just days before Halloween, a winter storm was predicted to hit the Connecticut area, and it was the type of storm that would have been a major winter storm if it had arrived in December, January, or February. The only problem is that it was still October.

According to Fox 61, it was a very weird fall season. We had just come off a very wet late summer with record rainfall thanks in part to Tropical Storm Irene, and Tropical Storm Lee. The wet weather and above-normal temperatures seemed to delay the gorgeous fall foliage we usually see in the northeast. In fact, that year the leaves really didn't change all that much, and more importantly didn't even fall off the trees. These factors were all set to create a major disaster for people all throughout Connecticut.

By the time the storm, that would dump close to 20 inches in some areas hit the state, the snow stuck to the leaves on the trees, putting a tremendous strain on the branches, and one by one trees started falling thus knocking down power lines as well.

I remember standing on my front lawn and hearing the crack of branches and trees coming down all around me one after the other, outside was no place to be.

With the snow build up on the trees, and power lines down all over, some 900,000 Connecticut electric customers lost power, and some would not get it restored for almost two weeks.

Around the northeast region, some three million people were in the dark, and we had to deal with chilly temperatures and snow cleanup. Traffic was at a standstill on Connecticut roads, many of which became impassable due to downed trees and power lines, and of course Halloween was canceled throughout the state.

Here's a few video's taking a look back at some of the images from that now infamous storm.