Mayor Michelle Wu said a snow emergency and parking ban will go into effect on Sunday at 8 a.m. and announced the closure of city public schools during a Saturday news conference.
Public schools in Somerville, Cambridge, Ipswich, and Middletown, R.I., also said schools wouldn’t open Monday.
The snow is set to arrive at 9 a.m. Sunday with the weather service predicting the most intense snowfall will begin at 3 p.m. as the New England Patriots’ kickoff in the AFC Championship Game against the Denver Broncos.
Waiting in the wings will be a snowplow named “Flake Maye,” in honor of Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, to clear snow, Governor Maura Healey said at a news conference.
Andy Asante, 21, a Boston University senior, said he was excited for some New England weather after several mild winters on campus.
“A little bit of snow can’t hurt,” he said after stopping for supplies at Star Market and Super 88.
The storm has the potential to drop two to three inches of snow per hour at its height, with the weather service predicting most of the state will get up to 18 inches of snow.
More snow, up to two feet, is expected in parts of the Berkshires. Sleet will mix with snow on Cape Cod, Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard, and parts of the South Coast, where the weather service forecast up to a foot of snow.
All BPS activities are canceled on Sunday and city buildings, including libraries and community centers, will also be closed on Sunday and Monday, Wu said during a City Hall news conference.
She asked motorists to stay off city streets during the most intense part of the storm.
“At that pace of potentially two-to-three inches per hour we could be in whiteout conditions so we really need everyone to stay off the roads if possible and give our crews the space to work,” Wu said.
At a Massachusetts Department of Transportation depot in Weston, Healey also encouraged motorists to stay home, particularly on Monday when conditions are expected to be at their worst.
“I just ask of you to stay off the road, limit travel,” Healey said. “We really want you off the road.”
State workers considered non-essential will work remotely on Monday, Healey said, and she encouraged private employers to offer the same option.
State Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver said the storm’s forecasted length and intensity will make it difficult to clear roads even with extensive preparation.
The state plans to deploy more than 3,000 pieces of equipment to clear roads and has staged about 250,000 tons of salt and more than 700,000 gallons of magnesium chloride to help with the cleanup, he said.
He predicted delays would persist on state roads for about four hours after the snowfall ends.
The last major snowstorm to hit Boston was on January 29, 2022, when 23.6 inches fell.
As of 5:45 p.m. Saturday at Logan, 32 outbound flights and 51 inbound flights have been canceled, according to flight tracking site FlightAware.
More than 650 flights departing and arriving at Logan on Sunday have been canceled and more than 300 flights have been canceled on Monday.
On the MBTA, the agency said it expects to maintain its regular weekend service across its system.
The agency said that some of its buses will likely follow snow routes on Sunday and Monday, avoiding typical paths that involve steep hills, sharp turns, or narrow streets.
All commuter rail lines are scheduled to run on a reduced schedule on Monday. Subway trains will operate on normal weekday timetables.
The Mattapan Line’s trolleys are expected to be replaced with buses due to snow accumulation, said MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng, who is also Healey’s interim transportation secretary.
The Pine Street Inn said it has doubled its staffing for outreach teams to try to provide shelter during the storm to those living on the streets.
“We’re all hands on deck,” said Pine Street Inn spokesperson Barbara Trevisan. “Our team is coming out to bring people inside, our shelter is expanding, and we are making space for everybody.”
City leaders outside Boston prepared for the storm by readying equipment and opening shelter space.
In Framingham, Public Works Director Bob Lewis said the city intends to use snowblowers this weekend that haven’t been needed in years.
“We’re pulling out our large snowblowers and getting them fired up,” Lewis said.
In Worcester, an emergency shelter and warming center has been established at Worcester Technical High School. Municipal garages will offer free parking beginning at 8 p.m. on Saturday and a parking ban goes into effect on Sunday at 1 a.m., according to City Manager Eric D. Batista.
Taunton will open a warming center at First Parish Church starting Sunday afternoon, providing shelter through Monday, the city said in a news release.
In New Hampshire, Robert Buxton, director of the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, said the storm is expected to drop up to 18 inches of snow and impact the morning commute on Monday.
He urged residents to prepare and avoid traveling if possible.
“Review your emergency family plan to ensure your family is taken care of,” Buxton said in a statement.
Globe correspondents Sabrina Lam and Nathan Metcalf contributed.
Laura Crimaldi can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her @lauracrimaldi. Jaime Moore-Carrillo can be reached at [email protected].
