HARTFORD, Conn. -- As winter storm Agatha began to dump snow and ice across Connecticut, residents and crews stood at the ready.

The Connecticut Department of Transportation's plows and crews prepared to take to the roadways amid forecasts of more than a foot of snow accumulation in the Northwest Corner by the evening.

Beginning at 4 a.m. on Eyewitness News, Channel 3 Early Warning Weather meteorologists Scot Haney and Darren Sweeney updated the forecast with lower accumulation amounts for the day as Agatha begins to change over to ice earlier in the morning than anticipated.

The Early Warning Weather team forecasted by 5 a.m. that the shoreline will likely see a couple inches of sleet, snow and freezing rain, while inland towns and cities could potentially see 2 to 4 inches of snow and sleet.

The reminder is the second punch of the storm that will turn from sleet, freezing rain and ice back to snowfall.

Storm Delays Schools, Workplaces

For the latest closings and delays, click here

Gov. M. Jodi Rell issued a statement early Wednesday morning, urging nonessential state employees to "take their time" getting into work. Nonessential state employees can report to work by 10 a.m., the governor said.

Keep tabs with the state's Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security: click here.

The state Department of Motor Vehicles issued a statement Wednesday morning to announce that DMV offices will delay opening until 10 a.m. Drivers should call ahead to confirm road test appointments.

You can call the DMV in the Hartford area by dialing 860-263-5700 and 800-842-8222 elsewhere.

Crews Prepare For Winter Weather

At full call-out, ConnDOT said it will have 632 trucks on the road and approximately 1,500 employees on hand. The department said it covers about 11,000 miles of roadway surface and at full call-out spends about $100,000 per hour.

Connecticut State Police said that the number of on-duty troopers will be increased during the storm as part of Operation Snowcrew.

State police said the additional reinforcements will almost double the regular patrol force. In addition to their regular duties, state police said troopers will patrol highways and roadways, looking for stranded drivers.

Police urged residents to refrain from driving during the storm unless necessary. They recommended that drivers use major roadways if they must travel.

Snow removal contractors also stayed busy Tuesday, prepping equipment and loading trucks in preparation for the storm.

"We're ready. Whatever we get, we have a lot of trucks, a lot of equipment. We're picking up new accounts," said Peter Lambert of Absolute Snow Removal.

Snow contractors told Eyewitness News that Agatha will be the first storm they can cash in on.

"Probably a 72-hour deal, this storm. We spent all day long today preparing; tonight plowing; tomorrow plowing. When I'm done plowing, then the loader work comes on," said snow-removal contractor Randy Bumgarner.

Billy LaTulipes plows Torrington's parking lots and said he's been waiting all winter for Agatha.

"I hope we'll make up for last time. I hope we're going to get what they're saying we're going to get," he said.

Hogan reported that auto body workers are also looking forward to the storm.

"I don't like to see anybody get hurt, but accidents are our business, and there have been very few accidents," said body shop owner Joe Perry.

Public Transportation Anticipates Snow

Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks closed for about six hours early Wednesday morning due to icy conditions (More).

"The airlines are probably not going to fly in this kind of weather, and we're not going to take any chances," Bradley spokesman John Wallace told Eyewitness News on Wednesday morning.

Wallace told Eyewitness News on Tuesday that some airlines had already announced delays that same afternoon, ranging from about 20 minutes to five hours or more, depending on the other airport affected by the weather.

A Metro North representative said on Tuesday that trains will continue to run despite the storm and that locomotives will run with snowplows overnight to help keep the tracks clear.

Connecticut Transit said buses will run normal schedules on Wednesday unless the governor declares a snow emergency. The transit authority said snow will impact stop times on individual routes.

"We're standing by, we've got the equipment, we've got the materials, we've got the manpower, and we're just waiting for the storm." -- John Wallace Bradley International Airport Spokesman

The Peter Pan bus company said that all of its bus lines out of Hartford to New York City, Providence and Springfield, with connections to all points in Vermont and Albany, will not operate on Wednesday.

Residents Stock Up On Supplies

While the snowplows rev in their garages, Connecticut residents took to the hardware and grocery stores Tuesday, preparing for the first substantial storm of the season.

Channel 3 Eyewitness News reporter Kevin Hogan reported that shelves were fully stocked and aisles were crowded at grocers across the state.

"I bought bread, milk, I bought potatoes, vegetables," said Georgieanna McQueen, of Norwich.

"Any time we get a snow scare in the forecast, we have an emergency protocol event, we get a delivery in here to cover extra anticipated sales because of the snow," Shop Rite owner Ken Capano Jr.

Towns Prepare To Keep Streets Clear

The city of Milford called a snow emergency Tuesday, enacting a parking ban beginning at 6 p.m. Tuesday. Under the ban, vehicles should park only on the odd-numbered side of city streets until Wednesday at 8 a.m. and then alternate sides until the snow is removed.

The town of Wethersfield also enacted a parking ban that will last from midnight Tuesday until midnight Wednesday.

The Waterbury Department of Public Works urged residents to utilize off-street parking whenever possible and to adhere to posted no parking snow zones.

Channel 3 Eyewitness News reporter Diana Rocco reported that the Department of Public Works in Farmington has 13 plows and several small trucks prepared to clear streets, parking lots and sidewalks.

The city of New Haven said it spent more than $50,000 ensuring that their 22 trucks are ready for the storm so that that residents can get where they need to be no matter what Agatha unleashes.

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