REGION – Area schools, town offices and COVID-19 testing sites, among other things are closed today as 2022’s first major snow storm blankets the region.
Officials are further asking commuters to stay off the roads citing widespread slick conditions.
“If you must travel, please drive safe and take your time,” the Hudson Police Department wrote in one social media post Thursday night.
All area schools are closed.
Likewise, programs like the Stop the Spread COVID-19 testing site at the New England Sports Center in Marlborough have also shuttered operations for the day due to winter weather.
The Town of Westborough announced early Friday morning that town offices would be closed for the day.
“Stay safe!” it wrote in a message on social media.
Marlborough City Hall will have a delayed opening, kicking off operations at 11 a.m.
Shrewsbury Town Hall is closed.
The storm is impacting local trash collection as well.
Shrewsbury and Northborough have announced that Friday trash and recycling pickups will be delayed to Saturday, Jan. 8.
E.L Harvey and Sons announced on Thursday that it would also run delayed service in Grafton, Southborough and Westborough, collecting Friday pickups on Saturday.
Radar imagery shared by the National Weather Service’s Boston office showed snow slowly spreading over the region shortly before 4 a.m. this morning.
“Travel is very treacherous & slow this morning across MA, RI & CT,” the NWS tweeted just after 8 a.m. “Snowfall rates of 1-2″ per hour is making it extremely difficult for road crews, along with poor visibility.”
The State Police have lowered the speed limit on I-90 from the New York/Massachusetts border through the I-495 interchange in Westborough.
And the Massachusetts Department of Transportation is imploring drivers to give plows appropriate distance while also ensuring to clear snow off their vehicles.
The NWS has predicted that the worst of the snow would fall between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m., with this storm dropping between six and eight inches of accumulation on the region before finally wrapping up.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The Community Advocate will have updated coverage of today’s winter storm as snow winds down. Share your snow photos with us by emailing [email protected]!
