Today's winter storm is expected to dump as much as a foot of snow across the state - but not ice. "Thank goodness we don't have to worry about a repetition of last month," said Jim Van Dongen, spokesman for state homeland security and emergency management.

40 mph speed limit today
Road conditions
School closings
Weather radar

If snowfall tops a foot as predicted, it will be New Hampshire's largest this season, according to the National Weather Service, which issued winter storm warnings for the entire state. As of early yesterday evening, forecasters predicted 8 to 12 inches of snow would start to fall in Concord about 7 this morning and continue throughout the day, possibly until tomorrow morning.

Tom Hawley, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Gray, Maine, said the snow would start fluffy and become heavier as the day progressed.

The snow may mix with sleet in the southern part of the state and along the Seacoast, Hawley said, but nothing resembling an ice storm is expected to hit New Hampshire.

"That will be confined south of you guys," said Brian Edwards, a meteorologist with Accuweather. But, he added, "it's probably going to be slippery most of the day."

The Department of Transportation will likely deploy its more than 700 plow trucks if snow blankets the entire state, said Bill Boynton, a department spokesman.

Between equipment, personnel and materials, a snowstorm of this scope costs the state about $76,000 an hour, Boynton said. Given the storm's predicted daylong duration, "it could be well over a million dollars in terms of our cost," Boynton said.

He, like Van Dongen, urged drivers to use caution.

Both the state House and Senate have canceled their sessions today. Concord school Superintendent Chris Rath said yesterday afternoon that school officials would watch the weather carefully.

"We won't do anything until the morning, because sometimes these things don't do what they're forecasted to be," Rath said.

Hawley predicted winds up to 15 mph, "so there may be some blowing and drifting of the snow." Temperatures will likely reach the 20s, with lows in the teens or single digits, he said. "Nothing real bone-chilling."