Crews Respond to Storm

While it began earlier, snow started to quickly accumulate on the roads after 1 p.m. Wednesday. 

Shortly after 1:30 p.m. crews responded to a two-car accident on Route 202 near the New Hartford town line although there was no immediate confirmation it was weather related. Initial reports indicated injuries were relatively minor. 

Other problems began to mount as well. Later a truck hit a tree in the same area and a car veered off the road at Washburn and Lawton Roads. 

Town and state crews are currently plowing the roads. 

Wednesday morning, the town's Public Works Department trucks were lined up and ready to go. 

As they started getting wet, crews started to spread treated salt on the roads, Public Works Director Robert Martin said. If done dry, the salt just blows off the roads, he added.

One challenge to this storm is the predicted timing, he said. 

"We'll probably have some rush-hour challenges to get everyone home safe but we'll be out cleaning our roads, keeping them as clear as we can," he said. 

Martin did add that it will help somewhat if the precipitation stays all snow through rush hour as expected.

The town has six of its own full-size plow trucks and one contracted one, Martin said. In addition, the town has three intermediate sized trucks. There are eight plow routes in town and the other two trucks will be used for areas such as school and town parking lots. 

The weather is also causing some closings. In addition to the early release at Canton Public Schools, town offices, normally open until 6:45 p.m. on Wednesdays, are closing at 4:30 p.m. 

As of 2 p.m., the National Weather Service was predicting 2 to 4 inches of snow during the day, with some sleet mixed in before 8 p.m. It predicted freezing rain and sleet after that and a mix of precipitation tomorrow with it becoming all snow after noon Thursday.