Weather

January 21. 2013 7:33PM

Seacoast could see more than 9 inches of snow through Tuesday

The Seacoast could wake up to at least nine inches of snow Tuesday morning, with another three or so to come during the day, or maybe a lot less.

National Weather Service Meteorologist Mike Ekster in Gray, Maine, said: "It's a very narrow band. We're watching to see where it sets."

The weather service issued a winter storm warning, from 10 p.m. Monday to 6 p.m. Tuesday for Rockingham and Strafford counties.

Ekster said late Monday afternoon that the coastal areas of New Hampshire and southwest Maine stand to get the heaviest snow from the approaching storm. But he also said: "It's a real tricky forecast, not like a nor'easter."

"It's very possible it could line up off shore. It's a shift of only a couple of miles," Ekster said late Monday afternoon.

He said the good news is: "It's light fluffy snow. Easy to move." That's because of the low temperatures across the state, expected to be in the low teens to single digits overnight.

With this storm, if it continues on its current track, the heaviest snow will be along the coast and the far northern part of the state may not see any snow.

The forecast for northern Coos County is only a 50 percent chance of snow. Heading south, the likelihood and amounts of snow are expected to increase.

Starting with southern Coos County, snow is forecast to start after midnight and total a possible two to four inches by Tuesday evening. The same totals are projected for Grafton County.

A winter weather advisory has been issued for Merrimack, Belknap and Southern Carroll County until 6 p.m. Tuesday, with three to six inches of snow projected under the late Monday analysis.

A spokesman for the National Weather Service in Taunton, Mass., said the snow projection for Hillsborough County is possibly three to five inches.

He said the bulk of the snow will fall overnight, giving highway departments an opportunity to get a jump on clearing roads before the morning commute, although snow will continue to fall during the morning.