• Full snowstorm coverage

With classes canceled, many offices closed, and store shelves pillaged in anticipation of a regional blizzard, there was little to do tonight but watch and wait.

At the National Weather Service offices in White Lake Township, meteorologists tracked the area of low pressure from Ohio north to Michigan — with predictions calling for an accumulation of 8 to 12 inches of snow by Wednesday afternoon.

By 9 p.m. Tuesday, some 2.2 inches of snow had fallen in Ann Arbor, reported meteorologist Heather Orow, and winds were gusting up to 40 mph.

A driver prepares to leave the Ypsilanti High School parking lot Tuesday evening.

Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com

Forecasters were predicting a rate of 1 to 3 inches of snow an hour overnight, with the heaviest blast of the storm coming during the morning commute hours Wednesday before tapering off to a light snow after 10 a.m.

"What would traditionally be the morning rush hour," Orow acknowledged.

It was looking almost quiet on the roads at 10:20 p.m. Tuesday, said Michigan State Police Sgt. Joseph Brodeur at the Ypsilanti post.

"Knock on wood, I think people are either staying in so far or adjusting their driving," he said. "We've had a manageable amount of crashes so far, and we've had a whole lot of extra staff on."

Brodeur said troopers had handled about half a dozen accidents, all minor. A Washtenaw County dispatcher reported no accidents at 10:15 p.m.

Meanwhile, the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office asked residents to avoid calling 911 unless it was an emergency, and directed anyone with questions about travel conditions to call the state police hot line at 1-800-381-8477, or check the MSP travel website.

A Sheriff's Office press release said there would be a limited response to non-life-threatening calls during the storm, and urged drivers to stay off the roads until after 7 p.m. Wednesday. Anyone who must travel should take a winter survival kit, the office said.