Looking at a night of freezing rain after a day of snow, Worcester and other school districts decided to give a little extra time for cleanup Thursday morning.
Worcester and Fitchburg schools and the Quabbin Regional School District announced Wednesday night they will start on a two-hour delay Thursday.
Wednesday's morning snow turned to freezing rain in the afternoon, as predicted, creating fog and slippery slush that hampered evening commuters.
Snow coated Worcester area roads late Wednesday morning, causing numerous accidents, including one involving a snowplow, and vehicles got stuck on hills. Late Wednesday afternoon state police reported a rollover accident on the Massachusetts Turnpike in Framingham involving a car-carrying tractor-trailer. Seven tows were called to the scene.
The Worcester Department of Public Works and Parks advised residents to avoid driving if possible; the city said hundreds of pieces of equipment were out on city streets managing the transition from snow to freezing rain.
WRTA buses ran on snow routes Wednesday, with riders warned to expect some delays. More information is available at therta.com.
A winter weather advisory is in effect until 10 p.m. Fitchburg recorded an unofficial total of 5 inches of snow Wednesday; Worcester Regional Airport measured 2.5 inches of accumulation before the rain came.
Most area schools were closed for the day, with a few school districts, including Mendon-Upton, dismissing students early.
COMPLETE LIST OF SCHOOL CLOSINGS, EARLY RELEASES
Worcester, Leominster and Fitchburg have declared winter storm parking bans.
CENTRAL MASS. WEATHER REPORT
“If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant..."
-Anne Bradstreet, poet pic.twitter.com/avsJXYFXjI
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