North Shore set for flakes to fly

LYNN – Snow shovel? Check. Ice scraper? Check.Other invaluable items such as snowbrushes, ice melt and salt have been flying off the shelves at Beden Hardware on Munroe Street, where residents are preparing for the worst with the first significant snowstorm of the season projected for today.According to the National Weather Service, a winter storm watch is in effect for heavy snowfall in the afternoon today continuing into the evening, with a possible accumulation of three-to five inches.The storm is expected to taper off between 7-9 p.m.A second, and possibly more severe coastal storm is forecasted for Saturday night into Sunday.Mario Pinto, an employee at Beden, said customers have been in a frenzy for the past three days.”People have been steadily coming in to buy items,” he said. “I think they’re really just getting prepared, but then again, there’s always those people who aren’t prepared in a storm that come in late.”Pinto said while the hardware store does not sell snow blowers, they have been repairing them to get homeowners ready in time for the first snowstorm.Assistant Superintendent of the Department of Public Works (DPW) Larry Donahue said once the storm begins, roads would begin to be salted.”Anytime the roads are covered with even just a small amount of snow, we have to respond to it because they get slick,” he said.Donahue said the city uses salt and calcium chloride to treat roadways instead of sand, which was typically used in the past.”We don’t use sand anymore because it’s expensive to remove from the road,” he said.In the event of a snow emergency, Donahue said blue parking ban lights scattered throughout the city would flash, informing residents to remove their vehicles from the street. Any vehicle remaining on the street will be subject to being ticketed and/or towed.Temporary off-street parking is available in the following school parking lots during a snow emergency, but cars must be moved by 6 a.m. the following morning: Lynn Vocational and Technical Institute, Lynn English High School, Sisson School, Ingalls School, Brickett School, Callahan School, Harrington School , Ellis Street Municipal Lot (School Street Side) and the MBTA Parking Garage.Homeowners are also reminded of the following city ordinances:· If the snow ceases falling in the daytime, it is your responsibility to see that the snow accumulated on the sidewalk shall be removed within four hours.· If the snow ceases falling in the nighttime, it is your responsibility to see that the snow accumulated on the sidewalk shall be removed before 10:00 p.m.· For people on foot, ice can be worse than snow. It can cause dangerous falls. You areresponsible for ice on your sidewalks as you are for snow. You must remove it or melt it.· If you fail to comply with the city’s sidewalk clearance ordinances or if you throw or dumpsnow from your sidewalk into the street, you will be issued a fine for such violation.· It is illegal to “reserve” parking spaces. Objects left in on-street parking spaces will behauled away.