CUMBERLAND — The second winter storm in four days smacked the tri-state area Tuesday night with several inches of snow topped with a thin coat of sleet and freezing rain.

The storm that arrived after 7 p.m. Tuesday created hazardous travel conditions, altered school schedules and knocked out electrical service for nearly 2,000 people in Garrett County by Wednesday morning.

The snow emergency plan in Allegany County was lifted at 10 a.m. Wednesday, 13 hours after it was placed into effect by Maryland State Police. To the west, the snow emergency plan was lifted at 9 a.m.

“We had a mix of snow and ice of about 3 inches at McHenry,” said Maryland State Police Cpl. Vinson Smith. He said several minor accidents occurred but there were no injuries reported.

Roads were said to be slushy and wet at late morning as State Highway Adminstration crews continued efforts to keep them clear. The temperature at Oakland at 9:53 a.m. was 59 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.

Schools were canceled in Garrett County and the Mountain Ridge district of Allegany County. The rest of the schools in the Allegany County system delayed opening by two hours as did schools systems in Mineral, Hampshire, Hardy and Grant counties.

The heavy, wet slushy mix apparently contributed to power outages in Garrett County where nearly 1,800 customers were without electrical service at about 11 a.m., including more than 1,000 customers in Oakland, 377 in Swanton, at least 100 in Accident and more than 50 customers at Deer Park, according to the Allegheny Power Web site, http://app.all eghenyenergy.com/outagestatus/OMS_Customer_Option.aspx. app.all eghenyenergy.com/outagestatus/OMS_Customer_Option.aspx

Emergency centers in Garrett, Allegany and Mineral counties reported no major accidents or weather-related problems Tuesday night or Wednesday. Various reports of downed trees and power lines were handled by each of the centers.

The SHA reported 6 inches of snow fell in Garrett County along with a half-inch of ice and 5 to 6 inches of snow throughout Allegany County, especially in its higher elevations. Road workers manned more than 50 pieces of SHA or contractor equipment, mostly dump trucks equipped with snowplows, during the peak of the storm. Further information is available from the SHA Web site, www.roads.maryland.gov

As temperatures climbed into the upper 30s in downtown Cumberland, residents easily navigated wet city streets.

But those moderate conditions were not expected to continue.

“The winds will pick up out of the west and colder air will move in. It will feel like winter over the next couple days,” said AccuWeather meteorologist Tom Kines. “The good news is there shouldn’t be any precipitation over the next couple days.”

Winds gusting 40 to 50 mph are expected to continue into Friday along with temperatures in the upper 20s Thursday and in the teens Thursday night. The combination of high winds and below-freezing temperatures are expected to deliver the coldest weather of the season with wind chill readings in the single-digit range.

Shortly after 2 p.m., a high-wind warning was posted for the area by the National Weather Service until 7 p.m. Wednesday. In addition, a high-wind advisory was posted until 1 a.m., Thursday.

Kines also said another storm approaching from the south could bring precipitation Saturday night or Sunday.

Contact Jeffrey Alderton at jlalderton@times-news.com.