CHENANGO COUNTY– The National Weather Service in Binghamton and local emergency management officials are cautioning residents that today’s snow storm could dump over a foot of wet snow, accumulating at several inches an hour. Powerful wind gusts may also cause widespread power outages.

“Steady snow will develop this morning, with heavy snowfall anticipated this afternoon and much of tonight. Strong gusty winds will develop later today and tonight creating blizzard conditions,” reported the National Weather Service, broadcasting a warning to more than 20 central New York counties, including Chenango. “By the time the snow tapers off tonight, storm totals of 12 to 20 inches will be common.”

All Chenango County school districts are closed today. The winter storm warning will remain in effect until 7 a.m. Friday.

City of Norwich Emergency Management Director A. Wesley Jones said a number of conditions were coming together to make this weather front more of a hazard than the typical winter storm.

“This is going to be a heavy wet snow because the temperature is going to be near freezing. Warmer snow means more moisture content. This afternoon and into tonight, the intensity is really going to pick up 1 to 2 inches per hour – even a rate of 3 inches per hour is possible. My biggest concern is later on tonight and into tomorrow morning, the projected high winds coupled with the heavy snow could cause some significant power outages in our region,” said Jones.

Jones said the storm was gathering strength as it headed north along the east coast, a common pattern for winter weather. However, he said a current high pressure front hovering over Canada was holding the storm over the northeast, when typically most storms would simply move out to sea. He said the storm is going to be a “prolonged weather event” that’s going to have to “snow itself out.”

Norwich Mayor Joseph Maiurano said Thursday morning he was meeting with area officials in preparing for the storm. He said the city would only declare a state of emergency after “consultation with department heads, the National Weather Service and other officials.”

“We do ask that all cars be moved from the street to allow snow plows to move snow from the streets quickly and efficiently,” said Maiurano. “Residents and businesses are reminded they can not move snow from their sidewalks, driveways and parking lots into the highway right of way.”