Snow surprise: More on the way

LYNN – The North Shore is looking like it is going to be spared the worst of the latest storm system to hit today, but that doesn’t mean public works crews won’t be busy.”We’re continuing the cleanup at home and away,” Swampscott Public Works Director Gino Cresta said. “But obviously any bit of snow we’re going to get tomorrow (Tuesday) will hurt. What worries me is if we have to go out and salt and plow, it will take guys away from hauling.”A storm system is expected to drop from a dusting to two inches of snow on the region beginning this morning after dousing the South and mid-Atlantic Monday, according to the National Weather Service.But it doesn’t really change public works plans.”It’s kind of just a small bump in the road at this point,” Lynn Public Works Superintendent Andy Hall said.Swampscott and Lynn crews, along with crews throughout the region, will be continuing to haul the 16 inches of snow left in Sunday’s storm – and the snow from the storm last Sunday into Monday. And the snow from the storm the Monday before that; and the snow from the Jan 27 storm.The crews are working 16-hour shifts, trying to remove snow from intersections and widen streets. Hall said Monday evening that the crews are particularly focused on the dead-end streets.But for the latest storm, it’s the South’s turn. A mix of snow, sleet and rain hit the central Appalachians and extended east into North Carolina with 8 to 12 inches of snow forecast in Eastern Kentucky east to the coast.Not that it will be a long reprieve. Another storm system is developing for (when else) Sunday. Cresta said this is the storm that has him worried, as the predicted snowfall – and temperature – will be comparatively high.”I’m hearing another big one on Sunday and it may be warmer or mixed with rain,” Cresta said. “So just what we need: heavy, wet snow to put nowhere.”