GREENFIELD — April Fools Day may have been Friday, but it was Monday that Mother Nature decided to unleash her prank – a spring snowstorm.
All of the county’s public schools were closed for the day, as was Greenfield Community College. State Attorney General Maura Healey’s planned lecture at the college will also be rescheduled.
A planned flag raising in Greenfield for Child Abuse Awareness Month has also been postponed to a date to be determined.
In Greenfield, a high of 32 degrees is predicted for today. The weather advisory said that snow will continue to accumulate as long as temperatures remain at or below freezing, and that the evening commute might be as bad as the morning.
Numerous accidents were being reported.
A rollover crash happened on Route 63 in New Salem around 8:15 a.m. Sgt. Steven Jankowski of the State Police Athol barracks said no one was injured in the crash, which involved an SUV believed to be travelling too fast.
Another accident happened in Gill around 10, involving a pedestrian who was hit by a driver when he was pulling up to a gas pump.
Gill Police Chief David Hastings said the woman, who he estimated was in her 40’s, appeared to have broken a tooth, but did not suffer any life-threatening injuries as far as he could tell. She was transported to Baystate Franklin Medical Center.
The National Weather Service is predicting 3 to 6 inches of snow to fall in the region and a winter weather advisory is in effect until 8 p.m.
“Snow will be moderate, perhaps heavy at times, leading to reductions in visibility to a mile or less,” the advisory read. “Snow accumulations will occur on untreated area roadways wherever temperatures are at or below freezing. Expect a significant impact this morning trending less toward midday with warming temperatures, then back to a significant threat as cold air pushes across the area presenting an additional threat on any untreated wet roadways potentially freezing.”
The snow will pile up throughout southern New England during the day with the highest accumulations in higher elevations.