(Photo by Tyler Murphy)

CHENANGO COUNTY – A winter storm warning was issued for the Chenango County area with the potential for approximately a foot of snow tonight, and officials are suggesting residents avoid driving if possible.

According to Chenango County Emergency Operations Manager A Wesley Jones, snowfall is expected to start between 3 and 5 p.m., with heavier snow beginning sometime after 5 p.m.

Jones said the total snow accumulations are anticipated to be somewhere between seven and twelve inches depending on where in Chenango County a resident resides.

“So originally we were only expecting a few inches, but it's gotten closer to here since the models have moved further north off of the New Jersey coast,” said Jones. “That 50 miles is going to make a huge difference between just a few inches and a foot or more in some areas.”