The first significant snowfall of the season hit much of Southern New England early last night.
But from early police accounts, most communities across the valley were able to handle the snow that was expected to fall across the region overnight.
The National Weather Service in Taunton issued a winter weather advisory for snow last night running until 6 a.m. today.
Weather forecasters were expecting 2 to 4 inches of snow overnight, ending before daybreak. Forecasters were expecting the snow to fall at the rate of an inch per hour between midnight and 4 a.m. today.
The National Weather Service warned that the snow could be wet and heavy, creating the potential for scattered power outages in addition to hazardous and slippery road conditions through the morning.
But late last night, state police at the Andover barracks were reporting few weather-related problems on area highways. They credited road crews from MassHighway with doing a good job to keep the roads from icing.
State police reported only one minor accident, a two-car crash on Interstate 93 South near Pelham Street in Methuen shortly before 10 p.m.
Two hours earlier, a tow truck was called in to assist a driver whose car slid off the road on I-93 South in Andover, south of Dascomb Road.
Methuen police reported that short after 8 p.m., a pickup truck slid into a utility pole on Weybosset Street, disrupting power for several nearby homes.
In Andover, police reported that an SUV slid off High Plain Road into a tree, causing minor damage to the vehicle.
North Andover police responded to a minor crash shortly after 8 p.m. on Route 114 near Peters Street.
The weather today is expected to be clear but cold. However, more snow could be coming at the end of the week.
Meanwhile, in New Hampshire yesterday, authorities said that a rash of crashes that took out utility poles in Salem had little to do with the weather.
The crashes that required poles to be replaced on Atkinson Road, as well as South Policy and Main streets between Friday night and 1 p.m. yesterday were mostly due to driver error, according to police,
And the single-car rollover on Interstate 93 South near Exit 1 shortly after 4 p.m. happened several hours before it began snowing last night.
"It's a rainy day — not freezing weather," Salem police Lt. Ron Peddle said, assessing the weather conditions at about 8 last night, just as the snow began to fall. "The weather shouldn't have been a factor on driving conditions at this stage of the game, It's not the weather, it's driver's error."
Some suspected that slick roads from the rain could have contributed to the rollover on I-93 South yesterday. State police continued to investigate the crash and were not releasing any details.
Salem police and fire responded to the accident at Exit 1. The driver did not appear to be seriously injured, police said. He was transported to Caritas Holy Family Hospital in Methuen.
Firefighters used air bags to lift the vehicle and free the driver, the lone occupant, Peddle said.
Police closed two lanes of 93 and traffic backed up to at least to Exit 3 in Windham for about 30 minutes, he said.
Peddle said it's hard for veteran police officers to explain a rash of accidents before the serious snowfall.
"Generally, on a night like this, people have a tendency to drive a little faster and misjudge turns for the conditions of the road," he said.
But, weather definitely wasn't to blame for the car-pole accident on Atkinson Road early yesterday afternoon, according to Peddle.
"That was caused by a woman making a cup of coffee ... reaching for her Sweet'N Low," he said.
The crash caused a power outage that lasted for several hours, he said.
Today is expected to be sunny but there is a possibility of more snow tomorrow night — less than a tenth of an inch.
ÔÇæÔÇæÔÇæ
Join the discussion. To comment on stories and see what others are saying, log on to eagletribune.com.
