BOSTON (AP) — While snowfall was negligible on much of Cape Cod during the early hours of the latest storm to hit the Northeast, forecasters said the nor’easter could dump as much as 2 feet.

There was barely enough snow early Tuesday to coat lawns and sand beaches, yet winds near hurricane force were lashing the peninsula.

The National Weather Service says gusts exceeding 50 mph (80 kph) were recorded off Cape Cod Bay in Bourne early Tuesday.

The area was hit hard by the last two storms, with massive coastal erosion and hundreds of toppled trees.

The weather service issued a blizzard warning for much of the coast of Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts.

__

7:45 a.m.

A nor’easter that could bring blizzard conditions and nearly 2 feet of snow to some areas of New England has started to intensify.

What began as a wet, slushy, wind-driven rain in the pre-dawn hours Tuesday turned into snow that quickly covered roads and made driving treacherous.

The National Weather Service issued a blizzard warning for much of the coast of Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts.

Although the latest storm was not expected to bring as many power outages as a nor’easter last week, about 12,000 customers in Massachusetts lost power Tuesday morning.

Communities across the region closed schools for the day and issued on-street parking bans.

The Boston-area public transit system said it would operate on a limited weekday basis and encouraged people to check schedules before heading out.

____

12:05 a.m.

The third major nor’easter in two weeks is starting to slam the storm-battered Northeast with more than a foot of snow and high winds expected in some areas.

The National Weather Service has issued a blizzard warning for much of the Massachusetts coast, a winter storm warning for most of New England and a winter weather advisory for portions of New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

The storm is expected to last through most of the day Tuesday, disrupting road and air travel.

While the first two storms of the month brought coastal flooding and hundreds of thousands of power outages, this one is expected to be different.

More power outages are possible, but they are not expected to be as widespread as last week. Only minor coastal flooding is predicted.