NORTHAMPTON – Hampshire County is preparing for a winter snow storm that is set to hit early Thursday morning.
While southeastern Massachusetts and coastal Essex County are under a blizzard warning, conditions in Hampshire County are looking far less dire.
The eastern and central part of the county, including Amherst, Northampton and Easthampton, is under a winter storm warning, while the western part of the county, including Chesterfield and Worthington, is under a winter weather advisory.
Breaking this down, Alan Dunham, a Taunton-based meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said that Hampshire County areas under the winter storm warning should expect 4-8 inches of snow while areas under a winter weather advisory should expect 3-5 inches.
Dunham also said that wind will be a factor in the storm, particularly on east-to-west highways like the Mass Pike, as it will be whipping up the snow.
“It adds to the misery,” he said.
Amherst Department of Public Works Assistant Superintendent Amy Rusiecki said on Wednesday that the town was preparing for the storm and taking road salt out of long-term storage.
She noted that she had heard predictions that Amherst can expect anywhere from 2-4 inches to 4-7 inches of snow.
“Hope for the best but prepare for the worst,” she said.
She said that while it may snow throughout the day, high winds in the afternoon will likely whip up snow that has already fallen.
On the eastern edge of the county in Pelham, Department of Public Works Superintendent Rick Adamcek detailed similar preparations of gathering salt, sand and liquid magnesium chloride, which will be spread on the roads as a mixture to help fight icing.
“Trucks are ready to go,” he said.
Adamcek said he expects snow to start coming down at 5 or 6 a.m., and to continue until 5 to 6 p.m.
Once the storm is over, Adamcek said he anticipates it will take about five hours for post-storm clean up.
“We should be in good shape,” he said.
During the storm, Rusiecki, of the Amherst DPW, said residents should stay off the roads if they can and drive slowly if they must travel.
“You live in New England,” she said.
She also asked people not shovel or move snow into the street and reminded homeowners of their responsibility to clean off the sidewalks in front of their homes.
Dunham, of the National Weather Service, said that people should give extra time for their morning commutes, and clean off their cars entirely before driving them.
He said that temperatures in Hampshire County will have a high in the low to mid 20s, with the wind chill bringing temperatures down to the low teens and single digits.
These temperatures are positively balmy compared to what is being predicted for the area on Friday: a 20 to 25 degrees below zero wind chill, dropping down to as low as 30 below zero with wind chill on Friday night.
Bera Dunau can be reached at bdunau@gazettenet.com