NORTHAMPTON — April Fools’ Day may have been Friday, but it was Monday that Mother Nature decided to unleash her prank.
Steady snowfall from Monday morning to evening brought at least 4 inches of snow to the Valley, with more accumulation at higher elevations such as Williamsburg, where over 6 inches was measured Monday afternoon, and Westhampton, which recorded 5.8 inches, according to the National Weather Service.
Snow was expected to continue to fall into Monday night, with a possible additional accumulation of up to 1 inch.
No snow is forecast for Tuesday, though it will be cold with a high in the mid-30s. Rain is likely beginning Wednesday night and showers are forecast for Thursday and Friday. Both days are expected to have highs in the 50s, according to the weather service.
In the Valley, temperatures topped out around 27 degrees Monday — 27 degrees below the average high for the date.
Most area schools, including Northampton, Easthampton, Amherst-Pelham, Hadley, Hatfield and Hampshire Regional public schools, had snow days. Meantime, Northampton and Easthampton issued parking bans.
On Interstate 91, vehicles took it easy as crews worked to sand the roads. The speed limit on Interstate 90 was reduced to 40 mph between Interstate 495 and the New York border, and propane and tandem trucks were restricted from travel.
Amherst Police responded to a total of 24 accidents as of Monday at 9:30 p.m., none of which resulted in serious injuries, according to Sgt. Gabriel Ting.
In Northampton, slick conditions resulted in some 20 accidents, with no serious injuries involved. Police said Monday night there had been no incidents since 7 p.m.
Police in Hadley responded to 14 accidents as of Monday night, including several cars that hit trees. There were no major injuries.
“It was definitely quite a busy day because of the snow,” Officer John Robitaille said.
A serious accident in Chicopee in the morning sent three people to the hospital. A portion of Granby Road was closed for almost five hours as police investigated.
By Monday evening, records for snowfall for the day were broken in Boston and at the T.F. Green Airport, in Warwick, Rhode Island, where snowfall is measured. Snow accumulation in Boston was 3.6 inches, breaking the previous record of 1.1 inches, set April 4, 1915. Accumulation at T.F. Green was 4.4 inches, breaking the previous record of 1.7 inches, set in 1957.
Low-temperature records that have stood for more than a century could fall in some spots, the National Weather Service said.
Monday’s storm came a day after several inches of snow fell in some areas and high winds toppled hundreds of trees across New York City. High winds brought down a rotted tree in Abington, about 20 miles south of Boston, on Sunday, killing a married couple in their car.
Although northern New England was not expected to see much snow Monday, the cleanup continued a day after winds that gusted up to 50 mph knocked out power to tens of thousands in Maine.
And although Maine wasn’t getting much snow, it did get cold enough for the Sugarloaf ski resort to make snow, the first time in the resort’s 65-year history that it’s fired up its snow guns in April.
Staff writers Michael Majchrowicz and Chris Lindahl contributed reporting.
Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.