By SHAUNIE CADIEUX
PLATTSBURGH — Many of the North Country's 20 local police and fire stations reported minor car accidents due to icy roads Sunday.
Raybrook seemed to be hit hardest, with 10 cars reported off the road by late afternoon.
Lewis, Lake Placid and Essex-based police all reported a "substantial" number of minor accidents due to poor weather.
Troopers across the region remained busy into Sunday evening, and accident details were not available by press time.
When it comes to winter driving, officials main advice was the same for everyone: Drive slowly.
The National Weather Service advises that while severe weather persists drivers should travel only when necessary and carry a flashlight, food and water in case of emergencies.
According to the service's official Web site, advisories, watches and severe-weather warnings were issued to 27 counties Sunday, including Clinton, Essex and Franklin, all of which remained under a winter-storm warning until 10 p.m. Sunday.
Experts predicted 8 to 14 inches total snow accumulation from the storm in Clinton and southern Franklin counties, and 5 to 10 inches were expected in parts of Essex County.
The Press-Republican surveyed some local residents Sunday afternoon, and people offered advice on traveling in difficult weather conditions. Here's what they had to say:
Bob Heath, 52, Cadyville: "Driving slower is a biggie. I watch out for snowbanks that can cause blind spots. Leaving earlier can help a lot, too. I drive a lot, so the weather doesn't usually bother me much. I think experience helps."
Kristine Besaw, 27, Plattsburgh: "Just be safe, and stay off the roads. It makes it better for everyone. I walk if where I'm going is within reasonable distance."
Ryan Stacey, 20, Peru: "I slow down by at least half when the weather's bad. Once I slid off the road. It was quite frightening."
Letitia Krig, 17, Plattsburgh: "I only have my permit, and when I practice driving, I go really slow. My parents get a little more annoyed when they take me driving in bad weather."
Michael Delisle, 43, Plattsburgh: "I don't have a car, and so bad roads don't affect me much, but I get frustrated when sidewalks aren't shoveled. I don't blame the people living in the houses, because they could be senior citizens with no family. The way I see it the sidewalks are city property."
Joe Sylvester, 20, Beekmantown: "I flipped my car on black ice once while my brother was in the car. Now I drive about 15 (mph) in bad weather. They (other cars) can go around."
Sacha Sanger, 21, Plattsburgh: "My car is a lot older than I am so the locks freeze a lot. I always bring an emergency kit and deicer just to be prepared. You should adjust your speed to your car, and know how your vehicle reacts. It's easy to forget how to drive in bad weather if it's been awhile."
Steve Cvetkovie, 48, Pittsburgh: "From an out-of-towner's point of view, the North Country has a reputation of being pretty tough. In Pittsburgh the minute there's a flurry stores close immediately. Schools are closed just because it's cold. When I lived on base here everyone just took the weather in stride. I love coming back because I know everything will be open."
