Sleet or snow is expected to begin falling today earlier than initially believed, and as much as 8 inches of the white stuff could be on the ground by Friday morning, according to a new forecast.

At late morning, school schedules had not been altered, but a spokesman for Superintendent Dr. James Price said a decision on whether classes would meet Friday would be made by 5 a.m.

“The total snowfall is going to depend on whether or not it starts out as sleet, but the Vicksburg area is now expected to get 3 to 5 inches of snow — and possibly as much as 8 inches,” said Mark McAllister, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Jackson.

Forecasts on Wednesday called for 1 to 3 inches of snow beginning tonight. McAllister said this morning the precipitation will come by early afternoon and be heavy in the evening. A storm advisory will remain in effect between 6 tonight and 2 Friday afternoon.

The Vicksburg Warren School District spokesman said officials planned to “play it by ear” today and make announcements over the district’s cable channel 16, local radio stations and the Web site of The Vicksburg Post.

The Vicksburg Board of Mayor and Aldermen was to meet today to discuss declaring a local emergency.

The heaviest snow is expected between 10 tonight and 10 Friday morning. The slow-moving storm system is expected to move east from Vicksburg Friday afternoon.

“It’s going to cause some dangerous traveling conditions, and people should take it slow and easy if they have to travel,” said McAllister.

NRoute, the city’s bus system, was expected to continue today, but Executive Director Evelyn Bumpers said the buses would not run Friday if snow is on the ground in the morning.

Canceled flights to and from Jackson-Evers International Airport were four American Eagle flights from Dallas and return trips to Fort Worth, one Delta flight to Washington, D.C., two Southwest Airline flights to Jackson from Baltimore. Continental Airlines and US Airways had canceled no flights.

Contact Steve Sanoski at ssanoski@vicksburgpost.com