Many tri-town services and meetings are either delayed or cancelled as residents prepare for another round of winter.

Traffic was light late this afternoon as commuters headed home early to beat the worst of the storm, set to begin around 7 p.m.

Marion Selectmen have cancelled their regularly scheduled meeting. In Mattapoisett, evening meetings were rescheduled and the town's library shut its doors early. Trash service has also been delayed in Marion and Mattapoisett. Tri-town schools are all closed for Wednesday.

First responders were busy Tuesday evening. Police-band radio chatter indicated a number of minor car accidents had taken place due to the slippery conditions.

The National Weather Service reports that between 5 to 9 inches of snow will accumulate tonight, with an additional 1 to 3 inches predicted for Wednesday morning. Total snow falls for some areas may be between 8 to 12 inches.

A blizzard warning takes effect at 7 p.m. The warning expires at 1 p.m. on Wednesday. Blizzard conditions occur when visibility is a quarter of a mile or less caused by falling snow or ground snow being blown about for at least three hours.

Heavy winds are also in the forecast. According to the National Weather Service, a north wind will blow between 11 and 21 miles per hour with the possibility of gusts as high as 46 miles per hour tonight

Temperatures are expected to drop as an arctic air mass moves in. Residents can expect tonight's lows to reach 15 degrees. Wednesday will be even more frigid with a high of 9 degrees and the wind chill value at -5.

Fans of igloos, snowmen and sledding have reason to rejoice. With temperatures predicted to stay well below freezing until Saturday the white stuff will stick around.

Everyone else should bundle up. Or, book a flight to Florida.

To read about how some residents celebrate when ice and snow are in the forecast click here.