Groundhog Day: Haven’t we seen this snow show before?

LYNN – Once again, officials canceled school and public works crews worked into the night after a snowstorm dropped more than a foot of snow on the region Monday – just a week after a blizzard blasted the region with more than twice that amount.”We were here at 3 a.m. this morning and anticipate we’ll be out until midnight tonight,” Swampscott Public Works Director Gino Cresta said Monday evening. “We’ve got a ton of cleaning up to do.”Officials also urged caution as snow banks continued to grow along streets already narrowed by snow from last week’s storm.”Drive extra cautiously and look twice – especially when approaching an intersection because it’s difficult to see,” Lynn Police Lt. Rick Donnelly said Monday. “Leave extra time.”Last week’s blizzard dropped more than 2 feet of snow on the city and region, prompting a statewide travel ban and local parking bans, closing businesses and schools, and keeping public works crews busy plowing and sanding for the duration of the storm.Public works crews have continued working since then to clear snow, prompting three days of school closures in many towns as school yards, sidewalks and streets needed to be cleared. Meanwhile, cold temperatures prevented much melting.Forecasters originally predicted up to 10 inches of snow from a storm moving from the Midwest and arriving in the state early Monday morning. The storm was predicted to continue through Monday afternoon. Lynn, Swampscott, Saugus, Revere, Marblehead, Peabody and Nahant all canceled school, and most communities instituted parking bans to help crews clear off the streets.Logan Airport had recorded 15.9 inches of snow with flakes continuing to fall as of Monday night.The snowfall amounts shattered records for snowfall within a 7, 10 and 24-hour period at the National Weather Service Headquarters in Taunton. Already by 1 p.m. Monday, the seven-day total reached 34.2 inches of snow, breaking a record of 31.2 inches in the week ending Jan. 8, 1996 according to Alan Dunham, of the weather service.Gov. Charlie Baker defended his decision not to order a travel ban for Monday’s storm as he had for last week’s blizzard. Baker said he consulted the same experts from national and state agencies as he did for last week’s storm, and instead felt it was better to recommend people drive carefully and use public transportation.There were major delays on the commuter rail and on the MBTA Monday night due to the storm.Lynn extended its parking ban overnight until at least this morning. Lynn, Saugus, Swampscott, Marblehead, Peabody and Revere canceled school today. Meanwhile, Boston postponed a victory parade for the Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots, which was scheduled for today. The parade is now scheduled for Wednesday.