Maybe you noticed the snow outside. Forecasters say this "Alberta Clipper" tracked farther south than expected, putting us in line for colder air and a little more snow than they anticipated.

Instead of maybe an inch and a half by the time it ends - and highs today around 36 degrees - which is what they were saying last night, the National Weather Service is now saying we can expect a high around freezing, with up to 3 inches possible across the region. A few areas caught by locally more intense snowfall could see up to 4 inches. Snow advisories - confined yesterday to the western counties - have been extended across Central Maryland and the Upper Eastern Shore. Here are the advisories for our area. A snow advisory means you can expect snowy roads and low visibility.

Here are some Traffic Cam views from WMAR TV. 

1 PM UPDATE: My wife just called from Upperco, in northern Baltimore County, to report two inches on the ground there. Here are some more readings.

Here's the radar loop. And here's the wider picture from AccuWeather. And here's AccuWeather's Madman Margusity's take - also 1 to 3.

It ain't much, folks, but it then it doesn't take much to slow Marylanders down.

Baltimore, Harford, Carroll, Charles, Washington and Frederick county schools have already decided to close early. They'll probably be sending the kids out into the worst of the storm. Go figure. Allegany and Garrett schools never opened.

Reports from weary commuters indicate the ride to work - on roads merely wetted by the snow - was long and slow. Sun tech reporter Chris Emery said it took him two hours to make the 40-minute commute from Silver Spring. He tried 95 - a "parking lot." Then he switched to the BW Parkway - a "parking lot." 

I didn't have any problems. The JFX slowed a little, but it was just wet, with airborne snow swirling across the pavement. But then I come down after the worst of the rush hour. How was it out there for everybody else? Readers? 

Anyway, the forecasters out at Sterling are now saying we should expect the snow to continue throughout the day. It may intensify for a time in the afternoon, then begin to taper off during the evening. Skies should clear overnight and give us a sunny day tomorrow. You can track accumulations here.

Too bad the clearing will come too late to give us a view of the International Space Station, which will make a fine pass right over Baltimore at 5:39 this evening.