The National Weather Service issued an updated winter storm warning at 4:17 a.m. Thursday that will be in effect until 10 p.m. for Oneida, Madison and Cortland counties.

“Total snow accumulations between 4 and 10 inches, locally up to 10 inches over higher elevations,” the weather service said. “The valley locations in the advisory are expected to receive between 2 and 5 inches of snow, while higher elevations are expected to receive 2 to 4 inches. This will be a dense, wet snowfall. Scattered power outages are possible .The most stable snow will fall between 4am and 7pm today.”

“Travel may be very difficult. Heavy wet snow may cause isolated or widespread power outages,” the weather service explained. “If you must travel, make sure you have an extra flashlight, food and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency. The latest road conditions for the state you are calling from can be obtained by calling 5 1 1. “

Staying safe on winter roads: Winter driving tips from the weather service

Winter’s icy grip often makes roads treacherous, leading to more than 6,000 weather-related vehicle deaths and more than 480,000 injuries every year. When you are on snowy or icy roads, safety should be your top priority. Slow down and be careful. At temperatures around freezing, it is wise to expect icy spots on the road and adjust your driving accordingly. Be alert for ice accumulating on power lines and tree limbs as they can break and fall. If possible, avoid driving in these conditions. But if you must go, choose routes with fewer trees and power lines, and never touch a downed power line. If you encounter one, call 911 immediately. Here are more winter weather driving tips:

Share your travel plans:

If you are going out of town in dangerous winter weather, be sure to inform family or friends of your destination, your planned route, and your estimated time of arrival.

Prepare your vehicle:

Make sure your gas tank is full and equip your vehicle with winter essentials, including a windshield scraper, jumper cables, a small shovel, flashlight, cell phone, blanket, extra warm clothing, drinking water and high-calorie, non-perishable food.

Stay calm when you’re stranded:

If you get stuck, stay calm. Inform someone of your situation and location. Avoid attempts to get to safety. Attach a cloth to your car’s antenna or mirror to indicate that you need help. Make your vehicle more visible by using the dome light and flashing lights.

Be aware of snow plows:

Keep an eye on snowplows and give them plenty of room to pass. Only overtake a plow if you have a good view of the road ahead.

Check road conditions:

Before traveling, check current road conditions to make informed travel decisions.

Stay safe on winter roads with these valuable winter tips from the weather service and reduce the risk of accidents during challenging weather conditions.

Advance Local Weather Alerts is a service from United Robots, which uses machine learning to gather the latest data from the National Weather Service.