ALBANY -- An early winter storm is forcing school closures in parts of upstate New York, where as much as a foot of snow is forecast.

Several schools in rural Delaware and Schoharie counties southwest of Albany canceled classes or delayed their start Tuesday morning because of the weather. State police at Sidney said road conditions were slippery and numerous accidents were being reported in areas northwest of the Catskills.

The National Weather Service says snowfall totals by Wednesday morning could range from a few inches in areas south of Buffalo and around Albany to 8 to 12 inches in the Adirondacks and the Tug Hill Plateau north of Syracuse.

Forecasters say winds of 20 to 25 mph will accompany the snow in some areas, with gusts of up to 40 mph.