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Snow Expected Friday Morning; North Adams Schools Close

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 The Berkshires can expect 2 to 5 inches of snow overnight into Friday morning.
 
 A winter weather advisory is in effect from midnight through noon on Friday.  A wintry mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain is also possible late Saturday night into Sunday, which could result in slippery travel conditions, according to the National Weather Service in Albany, N.Y.
North Adams Public Schools will use an “emergency day” for Friday in light of the coming weather and staffing shortages because COVID-19. There will be no school or afterschool activities on Friday.
The state Department of Transportation is warning of 3 to 9 inches across the state and the governor has directed all non-emergency state employees working in Executive Branch agencies not to report to their workplaces Friday.  The administration is also urging residents to stay off roadways and to use public transportation when possible.
 
"We will have crews patrolling and chemically treating our roads by late this evening as snow is anticipated to begin in Western Massachusetts just after midnight tonight," said Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver. "Depending on the region of the state, the storm will last until Friday afternoon, with heavy snowfall in some areas falling at the time of the Friday morning commute. Travelers are advised to use caution, travel at reduced speeds, and be mindful of poor visibility."
 
Accuweather meteorologists are predicting 1 to 2 inches of snowfall an hour in some locations, particularly in areas south and east of the Berkshire, though South County may be affected.
 
A bitterly cold airmass is expected early next week.
 
Said AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist, Jonathan Porter: "Our latest snowstorm is quick moving but intense which is going to create dangerous road conditions and significant travel delays from parts of the South through the Middle-Atlantic and the Northeast."
 
A snowstorm in Virginia earlier this week left thousands stranded on I-95 for more than a day.

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North Adams Water Safe to Drink

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Water Department says all water line breaks have been repaired and water restored to those affected areas. 
 
The boil water order has been lifted by the state Department of Environmental Protection. Residents no longer have to boil water or use bottled water for drinking, making ice, food preparation, brushing teeth or washing dishes. 
 
A partial lift of the Dec. 15 order was issued on Tuesday; as of Thursday, the requirement is no longer in effect for any areas of the city. 
 
The water issues began on Friday after a water main broke in an inaccessible area behind the water treatment plant on Pattison Road. The drop in pressure and frigid temperatures led to breaks on American Legion Drive and by State Road and Biltmore Avenue. 
 
It took all weekend to fix the main, and several more to repair the other breaks. During this time, residents experienced no water or low water pressure. 
 
The Water Department says all repairs have been completed and that samples collected throughout the distribution system were free of total coliform and E. coli bacteria. 
 
 For more information, contact the North Adams Water Department at 413-662-3157.
 
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