ROCKY HILL, Conn. -- Residents across the state began digging out from beneath snow dumped overnight by Winter Storm Albert.

The storm's first flakes began falling Saturday evening in Connecticut, and continued through late Sunday morning.

The flakes were slow to begin falling in some parts of Connecticut, but by Sunday morning, the entire state was covered beneath a blanket of white.

Connecticut's shoreline was hit hardest by the storm, with 2 feet falling in Danielson, 23 inches in Clinton and 22 in Old Saybrook. Hartford, Tolland, New Haven and Fairfield counties received a moderate amount of snow, with totals ranging in the 6- to 12-inch range. The northwest corner of the state, which usually takes the brunt of winter storms, received the least snow, with only 1 to 6 inches falling in Litchfield and parts of Hartford counties.

Lt. Paul Vance of the Connecticut State Police said state police had responded to about 60 crashes and received about 650 calls for service as of 7 a.m.

He urged drivers to stay off the roads and out of the way of Department of Transportation trucks trying to keep the roads clear.

"Just about every road has its issues, some more than others," Vance said. "Some of the roads are not even passable at this time. We have reports of people spinning out ... if your car is not prepared for winter driving, if you don't have an adequate gas supply, stay home, out of harm's way until this storm passes."

Roads proved to be slick and slippery and at the height of Winter Storm Albert, police responded to more than 90 crashes. By the time Albert pushed through the state, police had responded to more than 1,200 calls for assistance.

The storm caused the cancellation of all outgoing flights at Bradley International Airport Saturday night. Airport officials said the ticket desk reopened at 8 a.m. Sunday. Click Here For A Full List Of Delays, Cancellations

Officials at Bradley Operations Center said the airport was "open at full capacity" on Sunday evening.

The state Department of Transportation said Sunday morning that its entire 632-truck fleet was on the road, as well as 178 contracted trucks.

Strong winds accompanied the storm, blowing between 20 and 30 mph across much of the state overnight, with gusts reaching 40 mph along the shoreline. The winds and rapidly falling snow made for reduced visibility

Gov. Jodi Rell said she ordered a partial activation of the state’s Emergency Operations Center as Winter Storm Albert barreled toward Connecticut.

“Critical state agencies will be monitoring the storm and any effects it may have on our roads, mass transit and utilities, as well as any other potential problems," Rell said. "Agencies such as the Department of Transportation, the Department of Public Safety and the Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security have sent staff to the William A. O'Neill Armory to get the EOC up and running. They are coordinating with me as we watch the storm approach and build.”

Five deaths appeared to have been caused by the storm system, which stretched from the Carolinas north to New England and also spread into some Midwestern states. The 16 inches of snow that fell at Reagan National Airport outside Washington was the most ever recorded for a single December day, while about 16 inches had also fallen in Philadelphia.

The National Guard used Humvees to rescue stranded motorists in Virginia and some 500 people had sought warmth and refuge in emergency shelters.

Naming the winter storms that slam our state has been a tradition here at Channel 3 since 1971. Like tropical storms and hurricanes, we alternate gender as we head down the alphabet.

Often, there have been themes to how a storm is named. For 2009, winter storms are being named after famous scientists or those who have made significant contributions to the field of science or math.

The list of the names for the 2009-10 season was a collaborative effort between the meteorologists at Channel 3 and the Connecticut Science Center in Hartford. Click Here For This Year's Complete List Of Names

In order for a winter storm to be named, the forecast must call for at least 6 inches of snow accumulation and/or 1/2-inch of ice accumulation.

Refresh this page and watch Eyewitness News for updates on Winter Storm Albert.