PLATTSBURGH — As the North Country copes with another bout of rough, wintry weather, officials say residents should gear up for the first significant cold spell this weekend.

After a good chill Sunday and Monday, the latest storm brought warmer air to the region overnight Tuesday, when snow mixed with freezing rain in many areas.

Numerous accidents were reported across the tri-county area by Wednesday morning as drivers struggled to stay on the slippery roads. Officials said most of the accidents were minor fender benders, though a wreck on Mountain View Drive in Willsboro sent one person to Elizabethtown Community Hospital Wednesday morning.

SCHOOL BUS HIT

State Police said slippery roads caused a driver to slam into the back of a Peru Central School bus at the intersection of Route 22 and Bear Swamp Road at about 7 a.m.

Peru Superintendent A. Paul Scott said the bus was carrying 22 Middle and High School students, all of whom escaped unharmed.

The students were evaluated by school nurses and were brought to campus on a different bus.

"It appears all students are doing well and are under way with the day's school work," Scott said in a morning news release.

EASING UP

As the storm continued to move east Wednesday morning, forecasters with the National Weather Service in Burlington said conditions would improve through the day.

"It was kind of on the tail end of the event, so there was only slight accumulations," Weather Service meteorologist Eric Evenson said.

In Ticonderoga, resident David Downing follows weather conditions in his community.

"This morning, I measured between 5.5 and 6 inches of new snow," he said Wednesday. "The variation is attributable to air flow — usually on my unplowed driveway I get a pretty good read. I have a couple of flat areas I usually depend on."

He said that in Ticonderoga, you have to consider three forecast zones: eastern Essex County, northern Washington County and northern Warren County.

"You factor in the predictions for all three areas and come up with a sort of composite that seems to fit the Ticonderoga area."

Downing monitors amateur-radio communications, including the Gore Mountain repeater, that give storm information.

"I haven't heard too much chatter on the ham repeaters this morning about snowfall amounts, other than the normal chores of snow removal," he said Wednesday.

STARTED OUT EARLY

Most members of the Essex County Board of Supervisors showed up for their morning committee meetings in Elizabethtown Tuesday.

Newcomb Supervisor George Canon, who has the longest drive to the county seat, couldn't make it in, but his colleagues were there.

"I came up early, and the roads were OK," Moriah Supervisor Thomas Scozzafava said. "I didn't have any problems."

Essex County Emergency Services Director Donald Jaquish said local agencies handled the storm very well.

"We had a lot of property-damage accidents, cars off the road. No real serious issues."

NEXT UP: COLD

But as it moves on, officials said, residents now need to prepare for a massive cold front headed this way for the weekend.

"We're going to see our first taste of some arctic air," Evenson said.

"It's going to be below zero at night and the high struggling to hit the zero mark as we get into the Sunday and Monday time frame."

He said temperatures in the North Country have been higher than normal so far this winter and called this approaching cold "a taste of reality."

PREVENT PIPE FREEZE

The brisk temperatures can pose problems for area homeowners.

Stephen Parker, owner of The John Doctor plumbing company in Plattsburgh, said dropping temperatures bring a heightened risk for frozen water pipes.

He suggests homeowners inspect their pipes and heating systems to ensure they're in proper working order before the cold hits.

"We see a lot of the same problems over and over again."

Many of those problems, he said, occur in manufactured homes, whether it be from punctured skirting on mobile homes or heating tapes not being plugged in.

"We always recommend that they look under (home skirtings). If you can see daylight, you could have a problem. The cold air can get in there and cause problems."

In older apartment buildings, Parker said, main heating systems are often located in the basement. He advised landlords to make sure heaters are on and in normal working order.

To help prevent pipes from freezing, Parker said, homeowners can let water slowly trickle from faucets, but he noted the precaution could "be a double-edged sword."

Water left running, particularly in mobile homes, can drain the system and cause leach-field problems or cause pipes beneath the home to freeze or burst.

"Really, the biggest thing is that everything should be checked (beforehand)."

While he's in the business of fixing plumbing problems, Parker said he hopes the upcoming cold doesn't affect area homeowners.

"I'd rather not make a bunch of money at the expense of everybody."

CARBON MONOXIDE

Clinton County Emergency Services Director Eric Day said the cold also creates a potential for carbon-monoxide problems.

"People will be cranking their heat up, so they need to make sure there aren't any creosote blocks (in chimneys)."

For homes heated by monitors with exterior exhausts, he suggests residents make sure there's no snow blocking exterior heating areas.

It's also a good time to make sure carbon-monoxide detectors are working and have fresh batteries.

He suggests homeowners confronted with flooded basements call their local fire department if the water threatens electrical outlets.

For the inexperienced, trying to thaw frozen pipes can also create a danger.

When residents opt to thaw the pipes themselves, rather than consulting a plumber, Day said, fires can easily erupt if residents are not careful using small torches or other heating sources.

"If you're not careful, there's certainly a potential for problems. If you're not at least a little experienced in doing a little plumbing work, you probably shouldn't try it yourself."

FLAME-THROWERS

Even snow-making equipment can be affected by cold weather. A crew had to use portable flame throwers to thaw the snow-making line near the top of Wilmington Trail at Whiteface Tuesday afternoon.

Olympic Regional Development Authority Communications Manager Jon Lundin said the crew was trying to warm the ice in the line to get the water flowing again.

"I've seen that at several ski resorts," he said. "It's no different than taking care of your pipes at home."

ORDA and Whiteface are preparing for this weekend's Nature Valley Freestyle World Cup event, which includes aerials at the Olympic Jumping Complex on Friday and moguls at Whiteface on Saturday and Sunday.

It will be important for people to dress for the extreme temperatures. Wearing several layers and minimizing exposed skin are crucial when the temperature drops so low, Lundin said.

"We want to tell people to bundle up for the cold."

— Staff Writer Dan Heath contributed to this report.