Police Chief Robert Meaney Jr. says that drivers should stay off the roads "except for extraordinary situations that can't wait."

The roads are still snow covered and vehicles are having difficulty with even slight grades, Meaney said.

There are also large branches down around town that are partially blocking roads, and earlier today Pine Street was closed while NSTAR dealt with a downed wire.

When the snow finally stops, the DPW will still need several hours to catch up with plowing and treating the roads.

"The optimal situation for the various DPW [drivers] is to be able to clear the roads without competing with unnecessary traffic," Meaney said.