Firefighters responded to a chimney fire in a Woodstock home Monday.

The fire was contained to the chimney area of a home on Linden Hill Road. Around noon, a call to emergency officials indicated flames were visible from the roof. The extent of the damage is unknown.

Winter isn’t over quite yet.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for the Woodstock area until 8 p.m. Friday.

Two inches of snow and sleet accumulation is possible, forecasters say. The precipitation will start after midnight Thursday. Slippery roads and limited visibility is possible.

The winter storm warning is in effect through tomorrow morning, Wednesday, at 8 a.m. An additional 8-12 inches of heavy snow is possible. The snow will continue through out the day becoming heavy in certain areas. Winds between 5-20mph and up to 35mph wind gusts.

WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 8 AM WEDNESDAY
Six to 12 inches of heavy wet snow could fall between 1-2 inches per hour early Tuesday morning and again Tuesday afternoon and evening. Winds expected of about 25 mph with gusts up to 40 mph.

www.Accuweather.com

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A flood watch is in effect until Wednesday evening for the Woodstock area, according to the National Weather Service.
Forecasters are expecting close to an inch of rain, and that — combined with melting snow — could lead to sharp rises in rivers and streams. Ice jams are also possible, according to the NWS.
The NWS says the watch could change over to a warning later Tuesday night and that people in flood-prone areas should make preparations.

Early forecasts show snow heading our way in the form of heavy snow and/or a wintery mix.

www.Accuweather.com image

After the state got about a foot of snow overnight, most roads are plowed and no power outages have been reported in our area. A few flurries are possible today, and forecasters predict a clear, sunny Sunday.

Eric Francis Photo
A Hartford Department of Public Works sidewalk plow makes its way alongside Route 14 in Hartford on Saturday morning.

A car is plowed into their own driveway in West Woodstock.

(AP) — All Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont post offices will be closed on Saturday due to the snow storm. U.S. Postal Service officials say there will be no mail delivery.
Many of the offices closed early on Friday.
Normal post office hours of operation are expected to resume on Monday.

As of 3:30 p.m. Friday, about an inch of snow has fallen in the area. No roads closings have been reported in the state.

Jeff Adams cleans off his windshield after working his shift at Mac’s Market in Woodstock.

A woman cleans snow off her car on Route 106 near the Woodstock Inn.
Rick Russell Photos

Snow flurries Saturday morning are expected to give way to partly cloudy skies in the afternoon, with a high of 17 degrees. Winds will be north northwest at 10-15 mph. A thirty percent chance of snow is predicted.
On Sunday, similar temperatures but sunny skies are anticipated.

As of 9 a.m. Green Mountain Power is reporting the following outages in our area:

Barnard – 242

Bridgewater – 19

Hartford – 231

Hartland – 120

Killington – 149

Reading – 2

Pomfret – 30

Plymouth – 25

West Windsor – 4

Woodstock Village – 1

Woodstock Town – 106

Tuesday, 8:15 a.m.

Early reports show Hurricane Sandy has caused widespread power outages, including about 2,900 in Windsor County, and knocked down some large trees in the Woodstock area.

GMP is reporting 8,457 outages. Officials say they’ve restored about 23,000 outages from last night and they expect a few more today. The following is a list of outages in our towns: Barnard 242, Killington 193, Hartland 118, Woodstock 85, Pomfret 26, Plymouth 24, West Windsor 13, Bridgewater 12 and Reading 1.

Vermont Agency of Transportation says the state roads appear clear, but if drivers must be on the roads, then they should exercise extreme caution.

What can we expect today? The National Weather Service predicts winds of 20 miles per hour with occasional thunderstorms for the Woodstock area. The winds should taper off to about 10 miles per hour in the evening.

Below is a satellite image of Sandy now. Since it has made landfall, the National Hurricane Center will no longer track it. The storm is predicted to move north and east in the next few days, bringing rain to our area.

Monday, 8:40 p.m.

Hurricane Sandy has made landfall in southern New Jersey. Meanwhile, few outages have been reported in Woodstock, compared to the rest of the state. There are more than 100 people without power in Killington and more than 200 people without power in Barnard.

Monday, 2:45 p.m

Towns in the southern and central parts of the state have reported power outages, according to Green Mountain Power.

GMP reports more than 1,200 outages in Wilmington and 370 in Mt. Holly. There are currently 14 homes in Woodstock without power, and 84 in Hartland, according to GMP.

Monday, 2 p.m.

Monday, 12:30 p.m.
Sandy Update – Monday Morning
WATERBURY, VT – The Vermont State Emergency Operations Center opened with state and federal personnel at 7:00 Monday morning. The team is tracking the storm and is ready to respond should any communities need assistance.
Governor Peter Shumlin declared a State of Emergency for Vermont in advance of the storm on Sunday. The designation will allow the state to use National Guard and other federal resources if needed.
The National Weather Service reports that wherever the storm makes landfall, the main threat from the storm will likely be high winds beginning during the day Monday. NWS says 60-80 mile per hour wind gusts are expected along the Green Mountains and in the Northeast Kingdom.
Localized flooding is also possible where the rain is heaviest. Flooding is possible anywhere, but NWS says the southern half of Vermont is the most susceptible. The forecast can be found athttp://www.erh.noaa.gov/er/btv/
The Vermont Emergency Operations Center will be fully staffed on Monday morning and will remain open as long as necessary. State preparedness activities include:
Conference calls were held this morning with legislators and city Mayors.
Vermont State Police have put all personnel on road duty and will put more and more Troopers on the road as the storm ramps up.
540 maintenance workers from the Agency of Transportation are in the field with chainsaws ready to clear roads.
Chainsaw crews from the Agency of Natural Resources are on standby to help with clearing of debris.
Swiftwater and technical rescue crews will be staged as necessary.
State police mobile command posts are on standby for quick deployment when needed.
State utilities have brought in extra line crews from out of state to help with restoration efforts.
The National Guard is prepared to assist with tree clearing, swiftwater rescues, or any other missions deemed necessary.
The Red Cross is prepared to open shelters should homes lose power for extended periods – a listing of shelters will be shared with the media once they open.
If you come across a downed power line, never touch it – all power lines should be treated as if they are live at all times. When clearing downed trees be sure they are not in contact with power lines as trees can conduct electricity and you can be electrocuted.
If you lose power and use a generator make sure it is always run outdoors and is not blowing exhaust back into your home. Make sure smoke & carbon monoxide alarms are working and have fresh back up batteries in them.
Other suggested preparedness actions in advance of power outages for the public:
Check flashlights and portable radios to ensure that they are working, and you have extra batteries. A battery powered radio is an important source of critical weather and emergency information during a storm.
If your water supply could be affected by a power outage (a well-water pump system), fill your bathtub and spare containers with water. Water in the bathtub should be used for sanitation purposes only, not as drinking water. Pouring a pail of water from the tub directly into the bowl can flush a toilet.
Set your refrigerator and freezer to their coldest settings (remember to reset them back to normal once power is restored). During an outage, do not open the refrigerator or freezer door unnecessarily. Food can stay cold in a full refrigerator for up to 24 hours, and in a well-packed freezer for 48 hours (24 hours if it is half-packed).
If you have medication that requires refrigeration, check with your pharmacist for guidance on proper storage during an extended outage.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions and guidelines when using a generator. Always use outdoors, away from windows and doors. Carbon Monoxide (CO) fumes are odorless and can quickly accumulate indoors. Never try to power the house wiring by plugging the generator directly into household wiring, a practice known as “backfeeding.” This is extremely dangerous and presents an electrocution risk to utility workers and neighbors served by the same utility transformer. It also bypasses some of the built-in household circuit protection devices.
Make sure your Smoke and Carbon Dioxide detectors have fresh batteries and are in working order.
Be extra cautious when you go outside to inspect for damage after a storm. Downed or hanging electrical wires can be hidden by trees or debris, and could be live. Never attempt to touch or move downed lines, and keep children and pets away from them. Do not touch anything power lines are touching, such as tree branches or fences. Always assume a downed line is a live line. Call your utility company to report any outage-related problem.

(Monday, 11 a.m.)
Vermont Emergency Management is predicting higher winds and gusts of up to 60-80 miles per hour from Hurricane Sandy, according to the Woodstock Emergency Management team.
Winds and rain should pick up Monday afternoon, increasing overnight and into Wednesday, Woodstock officials said.
The following is updated information from Town Manager Phil Swanson:
Power outages
Winds of this magnitude will result in power outages.
Report power outage to Green Mountain Power at 1-800-649 – 2877.
When the power is out, be very careful driving. If you see a tree across the road, it may very well be tangled in electrical wires.
We anticipate many residents of Woodstock will be affected by long term power outages.
We urge all of our residents to be prepared to stay at home for the duration of the storm.
If you have a generator please be careful of carbon monoxide gas getting in your home. Please set up a carbon monoxide monitor, inside your home, nearest the generator. If the CO alarm goes off, shut off your generator, open your windows and call 911.
Rainfall
VEM is predicting 1-3 inches of total rainfall, our area is expected to be closer to three inches of total accumulation throughout the storm.
Shelter
The first recommended practice is to shelter at home.
The general guidelines recommends each home to have three days supply of food, water, medications, and other necessities. Fill your vehicles with gasoline and have some cash on hand (ATMs will not work when the power is out).
If any resident is unable to shelter at home, and would prefer a shelter placement, please call our Town of Woodstock Dispatch Center, on the non-emergency line at 457-2337 and shelter will be arranged. If necessary, the Red Cross will open a regional shelter at the Hartford High School ( they do not have the resources to operate a shelter in every town). A Red Cross shelter will have medical personnel on hand to help those with medical needs.
Woodstock Emergency Mgmt. will arrange transportation to this shelter for any one in need; call 457-2337. A local shelter will be opened if the need arises
Other preparations
Other recommended preparations are to secure all yard furniture, garden tools and items such as tomato cages and garden stakes. Your bird feeders may take flight under windy conditions, so bring them in also.
Web Resources
Our Town of Woodstock website is a great resource for information regarding hurricane Sandy. Find us at www.townofwoodstock.org. <http://www.townofwoodstock.org./>
Other great resources are the Vermont Standard online at www.thevermontstandard.com <http://www.thevermontstandard.com/> .

(Monday, 10 a.m.)

(Sunday, 5 p.m.)

Here’s the latest track, Sandy is projected to take turn to the north, then to the northwest tonight on into early Monday. Sandy is expected to make landfall in the Mid-Atlantic coast Monday night.

(Sunday, 2:26 p.m.)

Woodstock officials wanted to release the following statement to residents:

“The Town of Woodstock Emergency Management team met this morning to plan for the first operational period of our response to Hurricane Sandy. The committee reviewed the most up to date weather forecasts and the most recent storm updates being circulated by Vermont Emergency Management, (VEM). The committee consists of Phil Swanson, Butch Sutherland, Pat Cassidy, Robbie Blish, Penny Davis, Chip Kendall, David Green, Byron Kelly, Dwight Camp, Alison Clarkson, and Karen White ( WES Principal and Shelter Coordinator).

VEM is saying that the exact track of the hurricane will determine exactly how each community will be impacted. The more northerly the hurricane makes landfall, the greater intensity and duration of winds and rain we will feel.

VEM is predicting that the impact of Hurricane Sandy will be felt in Woodstock on Monday afternoon, all day Tuesday and winding down on Wednesday.

VEM is predicting 1-3 inches of total rainfall, our area is expected to be closer to three inches total accumulation throughout the storm.

Wind gusts are expected to be 40 mph to 60 mph. Winds of this magnitude will result in power outages.

When the power is out, be very careful driving. If you see a tree across the road, it may very well be tangled up in electrical wires.

We anticipate many residents of Woodstock will be affected by long term power outages.

We urge all of our residents to be prepared to stay at home for the duration of the storm.

The general guidelines recommends each home to have three days supply of food, water, medications, and other necessities. Fill your vehicles with gasoline and have some cash on hand (ATMs will not work when the power is out).

Other recommended preparations are to secure all yard furniture, garden tools and items such as tomato cages and garden stakes. Your bird feeders may take flight under windy conditions, so bring them in also.

If necessary, the Red Cross will open a regional shelter at the Hartford High School ( they do not have the resources to operate a shelter in every town). A Red Cross shelter will have medical personnel on hand to help those with medical needs. Woodstock Emergency Mgmt will arrange transportation to this shelter for any one in need; call 457 – 2337. A local shelter will be opened if the need arises.

Our Town of Woodstock website is a great resource for information regarding hurricane Sandy. Find us at www.townofwoodstock.org.

Other great resources are the Vermont Standard online at www.thevermontstandard.com.”

(Sunday, noon)

(Saturday, 6:11 p.m.)

It now appears that Hurricane Sandy will pass through Vermont as a tropical depression. Stay tuned.

(Saturday, 2:23 p.m.)

As experts predicted, Hurricane Sandy is starting to head northeast, moving at 11 miles per hour according to the National Hurricane Center’s 2 p.m. update on the storm. Forecasters are predicting the storm slings to the west on Monday morning. We’ll keep an eye on it.

(Saturday, 8:17 a.m.)

After briefly being downgraded to a tropical storm early this morning, Sandy is back as a hurricane, with maximum sustained winds near 75 miles per hour. Most of the models now have Sandy stalling at the end of its track somewhere in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast region of the U.S. The current projection has it stalling in the Western Pennsylvania-West Virginia area, which is forecast to receive nearly five inches of rain. As of this morning, our area was projected to receive about two or three inches.

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(Friday, 8:32 p.m.)

Most of the latest models, such as the one below from the National Hurricane Center, have Hurricane Sandy heading north-northeast before taking an abrupt turn and heading into Delaware. For now, Vermont is predicted to get about 3-5 inches of rain. Stay tuned for more updates.

(Friday, 5:33 p.m.)

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(Friday, 10:28 a.m.)

(Friday, 8:38 a.m.)

The latest from the National Hurricane Center.

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(Thursday, 10:04 p.m.)

(Thursday, 3:07 p.m.)

Vermont Emergency Management’s Public Information Officer, Mark Bosma, is encouraging Vermonters to prepare for any adverse effects from Hurricane Sandy. VEM suggests the following preparedness actions:
• Make sure your family emergency supply kit is stocked with fresh water, batteries, flashlights, and other basic necessities. Every home should have such a kit whether or not a storm is approaching.
•Review you family’s emergency plan.
•Know a safe route out in case you need to evacuate to higher ground
•Establish an out of state contact in case your family is separated
•If you lose power and run a generator, make sure it is always run outside and that exhaust is NOT entering the home. Every home should have a carbon monoxide detector.
For more tips visit: http://vem.vermont.gov/preparedness.

(1:50 p.m.)

Here’s the latest track from the Weather Channel.

(9:30 a.m.)
Weather forecasters are announcing the possibility of the merging of Hurricane Sandy, a category 2 Hurricane now hitting Cuba, with a cold front, creating a “mega-storm” of high winds and rain that would hit the Northeast early next week. The U.S. National Hurricane Center said this morning that Sandy was moving at 18 mph with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph.

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The Woodstock football team beat Windsor 59-7 in its regular season finale to move to 9-0.

After giving up a touchdown on the first drive of the game, the Wasps scored seven touchdowns in the first half including two on special teams and one on defense.

Woodstock (9-0) will now wait and see who wins the Poultney (5-3) and Mt. Abraham (5-3) game and the Mill River (6-2) and MSJ (1-7) game — both on Saturday.

The Wasps will face which team earns the fourth seed. BFA-Fairfax (8-1) wrapped up the No. 2 seed with a 35-7 win against Winooski.