After battling icy roads Tuesday and temperatures hovering below freezing, area residents didn’t have time to take a breather before having to brave more wintery weather. Clovis was under a winter storm warning until 5 a.m. today that was expected to bring 2 to 6 inches of snow on top of the myriad moisture that had already fallen, according to National Weather Service meteorologists. “It’s not quite over yet,” said Todd Shoemake of the National Weather Service in Albuquerque. Freezing rain that began to fall late afternoon and into the evening hours Tuesday transitioned into sleet before the snow was expected to accumulate, according to Brian Guyer at the National Weather Service. Slightly warmer temperatures and breaks in cloud cover are expected today, which will cause the ice and snow to melt, Shoemake said. Nearly a dozen and a half accidents were reported in the area through Tuesday afternoon, with none involving life-threatening injuries, officials said. Curry County Sheriff Roger Hatcher said his department responded to 10 accidents in the area between Monday night and Tuesday morning. “It’s raining, it’s 27 degrees out … so the roads are going to freeze and it’s hard to drive on ice. If (residents) don’t need to be out, they really need to be at home,” he said. Low staffing during night hours means it could take time for officers to reach accident scenes, and Hatcher said drivers need to be aware if they are in an accident it could be a while before his deputies are able to respond for assistance. Clovis Police responded to seven motor vehicle accidents between 9 p.m. Monday and Tuesday afternoon, according to dispatch documents and officials. Clovis Municipal Schools remained open Tuesday. Community Relations Director David Briseno said there were no problems with buses transporting children for Tuesday classes. Briseno said parents who did not feel comfortable with their children traveling to school were told the absences would be excused. “We understand everybody has a different tolerance level for (weather conditions),” he explained. Briseno said a decision whether school will open as usual today will be announced to the media by 6 a.m. However, should the weather require a late start, schools will be closed instead because today is a planned early dismissal day for the holidays, he said. “If the weather is such as it might lead to a late start, we won’t even have school,” he said. Xcel Energy began to receive a few reports of power outages across the service area late Tuesday afternoon, said Xcel Energy spokesman Wes Reeves. But by about 8:30 p.m., 2,145 customers in the Clovis area were without power because of downed power lines, Reeves said. He estimated power would be restored within one or two hours. Since Monday, Xcel Energy has been preparing for the predicted weather. All available personnel have been placed on call to handle any emergencies, said Reeves. Clovis Community College closed at 2 p.m. Tuesday, according to a news release. The college was scheduled to reopen at 8 a.m. today, but the schedule was subject to change with varying weather conditions, the release said. Eastern New Mexico University, where classes for the term ended Friday, also closed for employees early Tuesday at 3 p.m., according to its Web site. Employees were advised to call the information line at 562-4636 or check e-mail for today’s operations. Elsewhere in the state, state police shut down Interstate 40 between Albuquerque and Gallup for nine hours Tuesday because the roadway was snowpacked and icy. State police also closed Interstate 40 from Tucumcari to Amarillo at the request of Texas authorities. “They are becoming inundated with crashes in the Amarillo area,” Anglada said, adding that Texas highway officials closed westbound I-40 from Amarillo to the New Mexico line. Travelers were stranded at Albuquerque’s international airport Tuesday and traffic along the state’s major interstates inched along for much of the day as a winter storm dumped about a foot of snow in some areas. Crews at the airport were busy trying to clear runways, but spokesman Daniel Jiron said Mother Nature offered no help. “We had about an inch an hour,” he said. “We have a 1,000-foot runway so once you get to the end, you have to go back and plow it again.” About a half-dozen planes were loaded and waiting to take off Tuesday evening, but Jiron said airport officials wanted the snow to slow before giving the green light. Inside the airport, Jiron said quite a few passengers were waiting in the terminals. Forecasters said the potent storm that blanketed the state Tuesday was expected to combine with a strong cold front to make even more snow overnight in northern and central New Mexico. Roads around the state were snowpacked and icy, and authorities warned people to stay put if possible. “We’re sure that the roads are going to ice up and more snow is going to move in,” state police Lt. Rick Anglada said. “Expect the unexpected.” The National Weather Service posted a winter storm warning for northern and central New Mexico through Wednesday. The southeast plains also were under a winter weather advisory. Forecasters said the potent storm that blanketed the state Tuesday was expected to combine with a strong cold front to make even more snow overnight in northern and central New Mexico. Tuesday’s weather forced schools to close in the Grady and Texico districts. The Associated Press contributed to this report.