NORTHAMPTON — National Weather Service meteorologists issued a winter weather advisory Monday in anticipation of a mix of rain, sleet, and snow that is expected to cause icy conditions Tuesday.
The advisory, as of late Monday afternoon, was set to last from midday Tuesday to 7 a.m. Wednesday for Hampshire, Franklin and Hampden counties, according to the weather service.
Alan Dunham, a weather service meteorologist in Taunton, said forecasters were expecting a mixture of rain, sleet and snow Tuesday afternoon. Into the evening, the same wintry mix — with the addition of freezing rain — was possible.
After midnight, precipitation will transition into snow and sleet, he said.
“The evening commute is probably going to be on the slippery side, especially on untreated roadways,” Dunham said, adding the same warning for the Wednesday morning commute. He said precipitation is expected to start mid-to-late Tuesday morning.
“Be prepared for slippery roads and limited visibilities,” the weather service announced. “And use caution while driving.”
For eastern Hampshire and Hampden counties, including Amherst, Northampton and Springfield, 1 to 3 inches of snow was forecasted as well as a tenth of an inch of ice accumulation. The advisory is set to start Tuesday at 1 p.m.
For the western parts of Franklin, Hampden and Hampshire counties, including Blandford and Chesterfield, the advisory was set to start at noon. Two to 4 inches of snow was in the forecast, with up to 5 inches possible near the Vermont border. One-tenth of an inch of ice was forecasted to accumulate.
Eastern Franklin County, including Greenfield, could see 3 to 6 inches of snow, with the highest amount predicted for the New Hampshire border. One-tenth of an inch of ice accumulation was also forecasted.
Jack Suntrup can be reached at jsuntrup@gazettenet.com.