More than 50 schools dismissing early

It started snowing in Center City by 7:30 a.m.

By 9:30, schools around the region were already scheduling early dismissals, according NBC10.com.

(For list, go to http://www.nbc10.com/closings/index.html.)

The snow began much earlier than was predicted yesterday, when the National Weather Service forecast expected light snow to start by 1 p.m.

The morning also brought revised forecasts, raising the amounts of expected snow accumulation for Bucks, Montgomery and Chester Counties.

The weather service map (go to http://www.erh.noaa.gov/er/phi/) this morning showed a substantial shift since yesterday, with the area marked "Winter Storm Warning" now covering all of Eastern Pennsylvania, except for Philadelphia and Delaware County.

Bucks, Montgomery and Chester Counties are expected to get 2 to 4 inches of snow today and tonight, instead of the 1 to 2 predicted yesterday.

A discussion posted this morning by the Mount Holly office of the weather service suggests even higher amounts for Bucks County and north.

"Forecast snow amounts range from 3 to 6 inches just to the north of phl and trenton, to 10 to 16 inches in the Poconos."

A changeover to rain is still expected in Philadelphia, Delaware County and South Jersey, starting later today.

"The rain may become heavy at times from late tonight into Wednesday," according to another note, raising concerns about localized flooding.