A sizable snowfall figures to blanket the area Tuesday, with about a foot of snow or more expected.

While today is expected to be relatively calm, things will change substantially around midnight, according to Tom Kines, a senior meteorologist with AccuWeather."It will come down heavy at times," Kines said. "When all is said and done, probably around a foot."The National Weather Service was predicting 18 to 24 inches. Other weather models agreed.The snowstorm is significant enough to rate a name from the Weather Channel. This one is called Stella.Kines cautioned people to remain home Tuesday, unless they absolutely need to be out."If you have a choice of staying put or heading out and traveling, the best bet is to stay put," he said. "If you have the option tomorrow, stay put."Ron Young, PennDOT spokesman, echoed those sentiments."The biggest tip would be if you don't have to travel, don't," Young said. "If you do, drive slower, and leave plenty of room between your vehicle (and other vehicles)."Young suggested motorists stay at least six car lengths between any snowplows, and not to pass any.Motorists should keep their gas tanks full, and not use cruise control if there's snow or ice on the roads, Young said.Other safety tips include keeping your headlights on if your wipers are on.Remove all snow and ice from windows before getting into your car.Always let people know where you're going, when you're going, and when you're expecting to arrive to your destination, he said.Last, but certainly not least, Young said it's imperative to "always wear your seat belt."Though spring is just around the corner, Kines said it won't feel that way the next few days.Both Tuesday and Wednesday are going to be cold for this time of year, with temperatures expected to be in the 20s on Wednesday, he said.Combined with the heavy winds, Wednesday will feel more like in the single digits, Kines said."It's certainly not looking like spring, or feeling like spring, out there," he said.A winter storm warning remains in effect from 8 p.m. until 6 p.m. Tuesday.Snowfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour are expected late Monday night and Tuesday morning, according to the National Weather Service. The snow will diminish by Tuesday evening.The heavy snow will make many roads impassable, and may produce widespread power outages due to the weight of the snow on tree limbs and power lines.In anticipation, residents made their way to grocery stores across the region Sunday.County Harvest manager Robert Merkel III said Sunday night, "Right now it's very steady. This morning and afternoon it was very packed."But he was ready."We actually prepared for this. We called in extra staff for this afternoon and evening," Merkel said.What are people buying?Milk, bread and eggs, of course.Merkel said ice cream is a big seller."Water is flying off the shelves," Merkel said.Reporter Brian Myszkowski contributed to this report.