No Major Issues at Start of Fall Snowstorm

Very few major storm-related problems were reported in the two towns as of 11 p.m. on Saturday.

The rare pre-Halloween storm began as rain and began to change over and mixed with snow around sunset. About an inch of snow accumulated by later in the evening as the snow continued to fall at a steady rate.

Gov. Deval Patrick declared a state of emergency in the state on Saturday evening.

Crews from and were both out treating the roads.

National Grid also reported that Hamilton and Wenham were two of very few towns in Essex County as of 11 p.m. without any power outages. A few scattered branches and trees had fallen.

The National Weather Service said the heaviest snow is expected between midnight and 5 a.m. with a total of 4-8 inches expected. The winds were also expected to be a factor with sustained wind of 15-25 miles per hour with gusts to 50 mph.