Yesterday's winter storm brought with it only minor difficulties as accumulations stayed in the 2-3 inch range, rather than the 6-inch range that had been forecast.

One reason for the lower total was that dry air began moving in behind the storm, breaking up the momentum it may otherwise have had. At times yesterday evening, there were breaks of an hour or more during which little or no precipitation fell.

Also, the snow started in the afternoon, and this time of year, most of what falls will usually melt during daylight hours. Even while snow is falling, there is enough sun energy now to keep accumulations low unless the storm is very intense.

This week, more seasonable temperatures are following in the storm's wake, so unlike the February 14th storm, this one will not leave hard-packed ice that's difficult to remove.

 A large winter storm that hit the upper Midwest yesterday has been moving eastward and will begin affecting our weather this afternoon.

The forecast currently is for 2-4 inches of snow and sleet, with some freezing rain possible as well. Temperatures may reach the mid 30s before the storm arrives but then turn colder as the precipitation falls.

The storm system is weakening as it comes east, so a repeat of the storm on February 14 is not expected. However, the system will gain some strength as a new low pressure system forms off the eastern seaboard.