This weekend's storm was a sucker punch; next weekend's could be a gut punch

The parking lot at Old Navy and the rest of Ridge was quiet on Friday around noon. (Rochester Voice photo)

ROCHESTER - This weekend's storm threw a bit of a sucker punch at the Greater Rochester area with early forecasts that the storm would arrive late Thursday, affect both Friday commutes and wind down today, but now Accuweather meteorolgists says we can expect snow throughout the day today all the way till 7 p.m. tonight.
Now it is predicted Strafford County could get an additional four inches during the day today, with wet snow and accompanying winds likely bringing down some tree limbs leading to sporadic power outages.
The travel threat was so severe the Strafford Y postponed its Breakfast with Santa event scheduled for today at 8:30 a.m.
Organizers say they have alternative planned a Fun with Frosty event that will be similar for Jan. 21.
The weekend weather has also frustrated last-week Christmas shoppers who stayed home on Friday when they thought the worst weather would occur.
Instead the roads today may be even more challenging with an Accuweather advisory stating "travel will be slick due to snow accumulations on roads."
Meanwhile, on Friday, the stores at The Ridge were relatively quiet, with sparse crowds enjoying hassle-free shopping with no register lines.
Courtney, Doore, who was managing the Old Navy store at The Ridge on Friday, said around noon that the weather had definitely cut back on the crowds making it that much more enjoyable for those who ventured out.
"This is definitely a good shopping day for the next to last Friday before Christmas," she said as she looked around at the handful of shoppers in the store. "I'm thinking people will probably be out later in the afternoon, and then we'll get busy."
Meanwhile, the potential of a blockbuster system that will bring snow and perhaps record cold next weekend could snarl Christmas plans even more.
Forecasters say New Englanders could see bone-chilling temps through the holiday weekend that could make for one of the coldest Christmases since the 1980s.