Residents of the Merrimack Valley and Southern New Hampshire woke up on Sunday to snow-crusted trees and near-empty roads, save for an occasional prowling snowplow.
Part of the area received more than a dozen inches of snow, including 17 inches in Haverhill, as of 6 p.m. on Sunday, according to the National Weather Service.
Despite the high snowfall totals and slippery roads, the storm was not atypical for this time of year.
“Nothing unusual,” said Bryce Williams, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
By noon Sunday, National Grid had reported some outages but they were minimal. But by later in the day, hundreds of electric customers – especially in Andover – had lost power.
Many school districts canceled classes for Monday, including Haverhill, Lawrence, North Andover and Methuen. In Andover, there is a two-hour delay.
Despite the snow, some local officials reported no major problems in their communities.
“So far, everything seems to be manageable,” said Jeff Coco, North Andover’s director of emergency management, about noon Sunday.
He did say a few limbs had come down on power lines and roads, but there were no major outages. The roads were still passable, Coco said.
Storms last spring were a factor when it came to downed trees and limbs this weekend, Coco said.
“Every storm weakens trees that are still standing,” he said. “It’s always a concern.”
But “a lot of” the trees were addressed, Coco said.
Wind gusts maxed in the mid-20s on Sunday, which Coco called a double-edged sword. While winds can take down trees, Coco said they also tend to blow snow off trees, reducing the load on the branches.
Highways remained covered with at least some snow throughout the day Sunday. Despite the slippery conditions, tractor-trailers could be seen crawling their way across the Merrimack Valley.
In Lawrence, the city had two warming centers available. A shelter was also available for those without homes in the event of severe cold, according to a press release from the city.
The storm led to a number of parking bans in communities. and the temperature continued to drop throughout the day Sunday.
By about noon, the temperature was 24 degrees, according to a reading taken by the National Weather Service at Lawrence Municipal Airport. By 6 p.m., the temperature was down to 22 degrees, according to a reading from the same location.
Residents can expect another storm this week with rain, possible snow and high gusts expected Tuesday night. While little or no snow accumulation is predicted, the chance for precipitation is 100%, according to the National Weather Service.
Winds may gust up to 49 mph, the National Weather Service said.