Storm in the forecast (and what are you doing about it?)

This morning in Springfield, Ohio (Photo/Twitter user @GotWxForDays)

So, first, an admission. For the past 10 days (long before notifications about tonight's storm were posted), I've been more than normally obsessed with winter storm prep - which, for me, is saying something. It's also only mid-November, so a little early all things being equal. Was it just because I had some free time on my hands, or was my somewhat singular focus a premonition about this storm or future storms to come? Has anyone else out there been feeling unusually driven to batten down the hatches?

In the meantime, the most recent forecast continues to show widespread accumulating snow and ice for much of interior Southern New England late this afternoon through Friday morning. Locally, a Winter Weather Advisory is in effect from 7 PM this evening to 7 AM Friday morning for Hampden and Hampshire Counties of Massachusetts for 2-4" of snow with isolated amounts to 6" and a coating to two-tenths of an inch of ice. A Winter Weather Advisory is also in effect for Franklin and Western Hampshire Counties of Massachusetts from 7 PM Thursday Evening to 9 AM Friday Morning for 3-6" of snow with isolated higher amounts to 8" and up to one-tenth of an inch of ice. The weight of snow and ice across the area may cause isolated pockets of tree and wire damage and isolated power outages.

As usual, it’s almost always the ice and freezing rain that’s truly problematic. Stay safe – and if you are still catching up on your winter weather prep, here’s a handy guide from the National Weather Service.