BLIZZARD 2013: North Andover Storm Center

The National Weather Service has issued a blizzard watch for most of eastern Massachusetts including North Andover, calling it a "potential historic winter storm."

We could see snow falling at 3-to-4 inches per hour and wind gusts of more than 20 miles per hour.

You can check this post for updates about the storm.

UPDATE THURSDAY: School has already been cancelled for Friday.

UPDATE THURSDAY: Division of Public Works Director Bruce Thibodeau said plows will be out clearing the roads throughout the storm, and local officials as well as police are asking residents to stay off the roads. Friday afternoon, there are expected to be white-out conditions that could have drivers disoriented with no visibility.

UPDATE Thursday 7 p.m.: MBTA and Commuter Rail will suspend service at 3:30 p.m. Gov. Patrick has asked all drivers to be off the road by noon.

UPDATE Thursday 10 p.m.: All town offices will close by noon Friday.

FRIDAY UPDATES

10 a.m.: Main Street Hardware is reportedly fully stocked with supplies and will be open all day. Thanks for the info, Tracey Zysk!

11:30 a.m.: All town offices are closing at noon. Some forecasts are calling for up to three feet of snow for our area.

12:45 p.m.: Emergency Management says power restoration may not start until Sunday and people with special needs requiring electricity for oxygen and other devices shoud call the police department and let them know.

1 p.m.: Gov. Patrick has signed an executive order banning all motor vehicle traffic on roads starting at 4 p.m. today. Tolls will stop at 2 p.m.

2 p.m.: According to the Boston Globe, Saturday's Bruins game has been moved from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.

4:30 p.m.: Several inches of snow have fallen already. Emergency Management is collaborating with other public safety departments to prepare for the worst of the storm.

5:30 p.m.: Road conditions have gone from bad to worse. Visibility very low and about to become nonexistent. The roads in North Andover seem pretty empty, which means a lot of residents have heeded the warnings.

8 p.m.: There are reports of power outages scattered across the region.

Saturday

10 a.m.: There is no mail delivery today. Traffic ban is still in effect.

10:15 a.m.: Amazingly, National Grid is reporting no power outages in North Andover.

12 p.m.: Still no word of when traffic ban will be lifted. Plows are out clearing snow now. Looks like North Andover got more than two feet.

1 p.m.: The driving ban will be lifted at 4 p.m.

Also for live updates during the storm, be sure to download our App for your smartphone or tablet and 'like' North Andover Patch on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

As you send us messages through social media and email (Bryan.McGonigle@patch.com), we’ll make sure the information is added here to this story in the comments and on the map found above. If you notice road hazards, please alert authorities and then let us know so we can spread the word quickly. You can comment right on this story to make sure readers know what’s going on in your neighborhood.

Important Phone Numbers to Know:

• In an emergency, dial 911
• Police Department: 978-683-3168
• Fire Department: 978-688-9590
• Public Works: 978-685-0950
• National Grid power outages: 800-465-1212
• National Grid gas emergencies: 800-233-5325
• NStar power outages: 800-592-2000 or the Report an Outage form.
• Comcast: 1-800-COMCAST (1-800-266-2278)
• Verizon: 1-800-VERIZON (1-800-837-4966)
• RCN: 1-866-TECH-RCN (1-866-832-4726)

You can also upload photos from the storm. But please be safe.