Though many area schools closed two hours early Friday in anticipation of an onslaught of wintry weather, by the time the skies cleared after sunset, only the barest dusting of snow had fallen on the Baltimore area.

The first flakes of an expected wintry mix started falling in downtown Baltimore on Friday afternoon ahead of a stronger winter storm, possibly bringing 4 to 8 inches of snow early Monday morning. Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott and other local officials urged city residents to take the proper precautions at a Friday afternoon news conference,