Guilford Selectmen OK Purchase Of Over 1,000 Tons Of Salt For Winter Season

GUILFORD, CT — The Guilford Board of Selectmen last week unanimously approved a request to purchase 1,145 tons of road salt from Morton as part of the state's contract for $80,000.

This marks the first purchase for the upcoming 2026-2027 season, according to Guilford Public Works Director David Castro, who went before the selectmen with the requet.

Castro noted the dollar amount is based off last year's salt pricing from the state at $69.88 per ton.

"[The state has] not released their numbers yet, but I have to start ordering salt. I can't wait," Castro said. "We might be looking at an increase in the price, but for now, that's what I'd like to go with."

The salt will come from New Haven, and pricing is based off delivery distance, Castro said.

"We're actually in the lowest area in the state for salt pricing because of our location, our proximity to where the salt comes in," Castro said.

Connecticut residents wondering whether to prepare for a snowy winter or a milder season are getting mixed signals from three major long-range weather forecasts.

El Niño is already underway and continuing to strengthen, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's October update. The agency said there is a greater than 83 percent chance that strong-to-very strong El Niño conditions will persist through January to March 2027.

Read also: 3 Winter Snowfall Predictions For CT: What Will El Niño Bring?

El Niño happens when parts of the Pacific Ocean become warmer than usual. This can change weather patterns across the country, affecting temperatures, storms and how much rain or snow falls.

But that doesn't necessarily mean Connecticut will see more snow.

Federal forecasters are anticipating warmer conditions across much of the northern United States and wetter weather along the East Coast.

The Old Farmer's Almanac is predicting above-normal snowfall in parts of the Northeast, while AccuWeather expects much of the region to see less snow than usual.

— This post contains reporting from Patch editor Hayleigh Evans