As blizzard bears down, students, homeless get a bit of good news

The storm that pummeled Florida, the South and the mid-Atlantic earlier this week will barrel into the Northern Seacoast today with its best haymaker, bringing expected blizzard conditions, including 40 mph gusts, 6-10 inches of blowing and drifting snow and frequent whiteouts.

Meanwhile, good news for area students and Rochester's homeless population.

Rochester and Milton schools as well as MSAD 60, which serves Lebanon, Berwick and North Berwick, are all closed today due to the impending storm.

And Rochester's warming shelter formerly at the Community Center has been moved to the U.S. Army National Guard facility on Brock Street. The move was made on Wednesday and the shelter will continue its 24/7 operation indefinitely. Last night about 30 sought refuge at the center, warming center personnel said today.

The storm will begin ramping up in earnest this morning around 9 a.m. with snow quickly thickening as winds pick up to around 20 mph with gusts to 30 by midmorning.

Road conditions will quickly deteriorate with slick surfaces and whiteouts.

A blizzard is a storm that produces snow or blowing snow with winds in excess of 35 mph and a visibility of less than one-quarter of a mile for at least three consecutive hours, according to the American Meteorological Society.

The official winter storm warning is in effect for the Northern Seacoast from 7 a.m. today through 4 a.m. on Friday, but the worst of the weather will come between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. today.

Total snow accumulations throughout the storm could reach to 8 to 11 inches with some areas getting up to 14 inches.

The strongest winds of 36 mph out of the north are expected around noon today. Gusts of 40-45 mph are likely.

Temperatures will climb into the mid-20s during the storm then begin to fall back tonight. Friday's low will be around zero with a -26 wind chill due to a 20 mph breeze out of the west-northwest.

This story will be updated.

(Accuweather material contributed to this report.)