"Hercules! Hercules! Hercules!"

Mama Klump may have been cheering on her son in the 1996 movie "The Nutty Professor," but many in the area are booing Hercules the newest winter storm of the season as it moves into the Northeast today.According to various weather stations, today's storm will have significant impacts on many areas throughout the Midwest and Northeast as it plows east, as well as up the coast. The question that remains yet is where most of the snow will fall. That has yet to be pinpointed because of various factors, such as where the two storms will merge, which has not yet played out.The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for the area through tomorrow afternoon.The warning states, "An area of low pressure will develop off the Mid-Atlantic Coast today, then strengthen rapidly as it tracks northeastward and away from our area tonight and Friday. As this occurs, snow is expected to develop across the entire area, especially tonight, then taper off by Friday afternoon. A dangerously cold air mass will overspread the area tonight and Friday as the storm intensifies out to sea."Accumulations of 6 to 10 inches of "fluffy" snow are expected, according to the National Weather Service, causing the potential for blowing and drifting snow as the winds increase overnight.By the end of the storm Friday, daytime temperatures are expected to hover in the low teens to single digits with wind chills ranging between 5-below to 20-below zero.The Weather Channel and AccuWeather also agree that the TIMES NEWS coverage area will get hit, but not by the hardest part of the storm.Meteorologists at AccuWeather expect between 4 and 8 inches to drop; while the Weather Channel is looking at 3 to 6 inches.Guess the totalThis morning, the TIMES NEWS asked area residents to flex their "Hercules" muscles and predict just how much snow will fall throughout the area tonight and tomorrow.Richard W. Szoke predicted 3 to 5 inches; Ginger Outlaw, 7; Lorrie L. Leickel-Koch, 8-and-a-half; Lori Devonshire, 9; Mike Hosak, 7; John Stoj, 10 in Penn Forest Township; David Imschweiler, 6-and-a-half; Louis Morandi, 8; Douglas Johnson, 6 to 8 inches; Kristen Ricker, 6; and Sandra Wingert just said "too much."Two area residents also are predicting that the storm will miss the area. Both Shelly Fritzinger-Santee and Wanda K. Kuntz said "none."So who will be right? Only time will tell.Preparingfor the stormRonald Young Jr., district press officer for Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Engineering District 5, said that PennDOT crews were out early this morning putting down anti-skid solution on roadways ahead of the storm.Once the snow begins to fall and throughout the duration of the storm, PennDOT plows will also be out in full force plowing roadways. As the storm winds down, crews will again spread salt or anti-skid material in the hopes of keeping roadways passable.Young strongly urged motorists who must travel during the duration of the storm to remain a safe distance behind at least six car lengths behind PennDOT plows because as the plow clear snow, excess snow can fly, causing reduced visibility to cars following too closely. There is also the chance of salt or other material kicking up and pelting the car if it is too close.He also reminds motorists that the plows are larger than the truck they are attached to, which allow the trucks to plow the lane of travel in one swipe.Traveling too close to a plow driving in the opposite direction or passing a plow, can cause damage to the vehicle because of the size of the plow.Mark Nalesnik, Carbon County Emergency Management Agency coordinator, said that forecasts are calling for high winds, which can cause power outages."If there are power outages with these extreme cold temperatures, people need to be prepared to take care of themselves for a period of time while in their homes," he said.Items that people should have on hand include: bottled water, high energy ready-to-eat foods, and personal medications for each family member, as well as a first aid kit, blankets, a change of clothing, flashlights, a battery-operated radio and fresh batteries. PEMA has created a website to help citizens prepare for emergencies. Emergency kit checklists; as well as family plan templates can be downloaded at

www.ReadyPA.org.Nalesnik also warned to make sure if you use a generator to not use it in confined spaces, where the fumes could potentially be deadly.A number of area schools also dismissed early to make sure students got home safely.As of press time, Jim Thorpe, Lehighton, Palmerton and Panther Valley school districts in Carbon; Pleasant Valley in Monroe; and Tamaqua in Schuylkill dismissed early.Weatherly Borough is also in a snow ban, effective 3 p.m., until the storm is over. Residents are asked to follow snow regulations that are in place.