March is coming in like a lion, at least for parts of the Hudson Valley.
The Catskills, including western Greene and Ulster counties, are under a winter storm warning, while Orange County is under a winter storm watch. Precipitation will begin in the early hours of Friday, beginning as rain and developing into snow, and last into the evening. The wind will begin to blow Thursday night, peaking on Friday afternoon with sustained winds of 18-24mph and gusts up to 46mph in the lower elevations, slightly less in the higher, according to the National Weather Service.
Snow accumulation in higher elevations is predicted to be over 12″ on Friday. Hudson Valley Weather is calling for 12-18″ in the Catskills, 6-12″ in the Gunks and Hurley Highlands, and 4-8″ across the lower elevations in Ulster and Duchess counties, though on its website it notes the difficulty of predicting this storm. The National Weather Service is more conservative, predicting around 10″ in the upper elevations and 1-3″ in the valleys.
Central Hudson issued a release Thursday morning warning customers to prepare for power outages.
“With the potential for high wind gusts and heavy, wet snow, customers should take precautions to be ready in the event of resulting service interruptions,” said Charles A. Freni, senior vice president of Customer Services and Transmission & Distribution.
Central Hudson recommends customers:
·         Pay attention to weather advisories, storm outage updates and/or shelter information.
·         Charge electronic devices in order to connect with https://StormCentral.CenHud.
·         Keep handy a flashlight and fresh batteries.
·         Have a battery-powered radio to remain informed of restoration efforts.
·         Confirm adequate packaged or canned foods that require no refrigeration or cooking.
·         Avoid opening a refrigerator unnecessarily during outages, so that food lasts longer.
·         Have a non-electric can opener.
·         Keep an emergency supply of bottled water on hand for drinking and washing.
·         Fill bathtubs with water as added reserves.
Join the family! 
