Heavy snow during evening commute ties up roads, downs trees, power lines

LYNN – Less than one week after the winter storm that wasn’t, the North Shore was hit hard yesterday by blinding snow that began earlier than planned and wreaked havoc on the evening commute.The snow began to fall by late morning, and by 8 p.m., about 3.5 inches had fallen in Lynn.Peabody weather spotters reported 5.2 inches around 7:45 p.m. and 4.8 inches were reported in Marblehead at 7 p.m.Lynn Police received 17 calls reporting motor vehicle accidents in the city between 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday.Lynn Police received a report of two trees down on Ashland Street, with one tree’s branches sitting on power lines and hanging over a porch. In Swampscott, low hanging wires were reported on Hillcrest Circle.According to National Weather Service spotters, wires were down at the entrance to Summit Estates in Marblehead and on Brackenbury Lane in Beverly.Reports of wires down at River and Bridge streets in Salem caused a tree to catch fire and a fallen tree limb blocked Roosevelt Road.State Police Lt. David Wilson said there were many crashes and spinouts along Interstate 93, I-495 and along Route 128.An administration aide said the storm wasn’t “anything out of the ordinary” and over 2,000 pieces of equipment were deployed to clear roadways.Concern over the storm’s potential was subdued compared to last Wednesday, when Gov. Deval Patrick told local workers to leave Boston at noon in anticipation of a storm that ended up being confined to the South Shore.With school vacation week underway, minimal closings were reported, although some evening classes at local colleges were canceled, along with many religious and enrichment activities.Colder temperatures may have allowed for snow to accumulate yesterday, but it could melt by the end of the week. Today’s and tomorrow’s forecasts call for early flurries making way for mostly sunny skies, with temperatures possibly hitting 40 degrees near the coast.