Forecast Now Calls for 1-4 Inches of Snow Wednesday Night

A forecast that midday on Wednesday called for just a coating of snow has now been bumped up to the possibility of 1-4 inches of snow by Thursday morning.

At 9:45 p.m. on Wednesday the National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory for Hamilton and Wenham plus most of the North Shore. The advisory runs through 7 a.m. on Thursday.

Snow has already begun to accumulate by 9:30 p.m. and some roads were snow covered and slippery. It is the first accumulating snow of the winter of 2012-13.

A winter weather advisory is issued when snow or ice is in forecast but accumulations are expected to be light.

“Snow will continue to affect the region well into the overnight hours,” the weather service said in its advisory. “The precipitation may change to light rain or perhaps even pockets of freezing drizzle towards daybreak.”

Winds will also blow between 20 and 30 miles per hour with gusts to 50 mph, the weather service said.

Roads are expected to be snow covered and slippery through Wednesday night.