Weather Watch

Here comes the snow - up to 6 inches of it

Accumulations of 6 to 8 inches expected on Cape

 An SUV heads out to brave the storm in Marstons Mills about 10:30 a.m. Wednesday morning.

High winds, falling temperatures will follow New Year's Eve storm

By Phil Burt

A quick-hitting winter storm arrived this morning, Wednesday, Dec. 31. This system is somewhat similar to our Dec. 19 snowstorm, in that it will bring a short-lived but relatively intense burst of snow associated with a small storm center passing south of Cape Cod.

Those headed out for New Year's Eve activities should prepare for tough driving conditions and very cold temperatures. New Year's Day is looking wintry, with sunshine but bitter cold temperatures as highs struggle to reach 20 degrees.

Snow began developing over the Cape by mid-morning. Snowfall should become steady and locally heavy at times through the late afternoon hours.

Accumulations should range between 4 and 6 inches around the Cape, with little if any mixing with rain expected.

As the low pressure slides eastward and out to sea it will intensify into a major ocean storm, kicking up our winds and pulling down frigid air from Canada.

Consequently, temperatures will fall during the evening and winds will increase out of the north to 30 mph with gusts to 55 to 60 mph, making travel difficult during the afternoon and evening hours.

Those headed out for New Year's Eve activities should prepare for tough driving conditions and very cold temperatures. New Year's Day is looking wintry, with sunshine but bitter cold temperatures as highs struggle to reach 20 degrees.

You can get your latest National Weather Service forecast at CapeCodToday.com and local updates at Cape Cod Weather.net as the storm approaches and develops today and this evening.

A Barnstable Police cruiser at the scene of a single-car accident Wednesday near the intersection of River Road and Lovells Lane in Marstons Mills. The driver, whose car skidded in the snow, wasn't hurt.

A front-end loader goes down one of the lanes in the parking lot outside the Super Stop & Shop supermarket in Marstons Mills early Wednesday afternoon.

Westbound traffic creeps along Route 28 in Marstons Mills Wednesday afternoon. The intersection with South County Road, which leads to Osterville and Wianno, is at right.

Snow drapes a creche in the heart of downtown Osterville.

 A northeast wind drives the snow through trees in Marstons Mills on Wednesday morning. Winds are predicted to increase and temperatures to fall Wednesday evening.