Safety officials urge caution going out, say roads are treacherous

Pine trees fill with snow this morning as the winter's first major storm hits the region. (Rochester Voice photo)

Rochester safety officials said today there had been no major accidents due to the storm, but advised that roads are treacherous and urged the public to stay home and off the streets if at all possible.

Meanwhile, Michael Cempa, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Gray, Maine, said the Rochester area can expect the precipitation, which is now sleet but will turn to freezing rain, to end around 3 or 4 p.m.

Final accumulations are expected to be 8-12 inches.

Cempa said ice accumulation could reach to as much as a quarter of an inch, which is the amount at which power outages can occur due to downed limbs and power lines, but he added he doesn't think such an amount will cause widespread outages like those of a major ice storm.

"This will not be a major ice storm," Cempa said. "We will get some icing, up to a quarter of an inch, which could cause some problems, but I don't believe it will be like the ice storm of 2008."

The ice storm of 2008 caused widespread outages in New Hampshire and Maine and left thousands without power for almost a week and some without power for multiple weeks.

As of 10 a.m. the Northern Seacoast was getting sleet, but it is expected to soon turn to freezing rain, or ice.

Wind gusts, which will also play a part in any potential power problems, should reach up to 30 mph tonight and Monday, said Cempa, who said he is working without pay due to the partial government shutdown.

And while the roads are treacherous, that hasn't stopped everyone from going out to Sunday breakfast, especially at The Farmer's Kitchen in Farmington where waitress Tessa Lussier said while there was no waiting line, there was still a good crowd.