NORWICH – The first real winter snow storm of the season is expected to strike Chenango later this evening and continue to fall until later Wednesday morning.

The National Weather Service has upgraded the warning for Chenango County from a Winter Storm warning to a Heavy Storm warning, predicting between 16 and 24 inches of snow fall by tomorrow morning. The warning will be in effect from 3 p.m. today until 7 tomorrow night.

“It’s basically going to be a blizzard without the wind,” said Norwich Emergency Management Director A. Jones.

Roads will be snow-covered and slippery with poor visibility. The Weather Service discourages travel unless it is in case of an emergency. Jones explained the storm was a result of an overabundance of moisture traveling from the gulf and that a low pressure front was coming off the coast. “It has all the markings of storms we’ve seen before,” said Jones.

The heaviest snow fall will intensify sometime after 7 tonight, but snow will begin falling this afternoon. The heavy snow is expected to continue until the early hours of Valentine’s Day.

“People should be aware the world will look a lot different when they wake up tomorrow and travel will be difficult. But a lot depends on when and how fast it all falls. The plows might be able to keep the main roads clear,” said Jones.