Less than a week after a blizzard paralyzed the region with more than 2 feet of snow, residents are bracing for another storm today that has canceled school in area towns.

While this one is expected to generate far less snow than last week’s monster, it will mix with sleet and freezing rain followed by single-digit temperatures tonight that could turn local roads into skating rinks.

The storm arrived just as some municipalities, such as Stonington borough, finished clearing their streets after last week’s storm.

Warden Jeff Callahan said Sunday night that the outside contractors hired to clear the narrow village streets had just completed their work on Saturday. Snow had to be trucked away and dumped at Wimpfheimer Park and Stonington Point.

“The streets are looking very clean, just in time for the next one,” said Callahan, who accompanied Gov. Dannel P. Malloy on his tour of the borough last Wednesday after the storm.

The borough has already exhausted its snow removal budget for the winter after it hired the contractors with heavy equipment to assist its two-person highway crew.

As of Sunday night, New London, Groton, Waterford, Stonington, East Lyme, Montville, Ledyard, Colchester, Salem, North Stonington, Old Saybrook, Norwich, Lyme-Old Lyme and the University of Connecticut had all canceled school today. Mitchell College and Connecticut College will post an announcement at 6 a.m. today.

For New London students, today’s cancellation means they have not gone to school since last Monday. Classes were called off most of last week after the city struggled to clear its narrow streets.

The city’s Chief Administrative Officer Laura Natusch said Sunday night that Mayor Daryl Justin Finizio was unavailable to speak about the city’s preparations for the snow.

“It’s all hands on deck now,” she said.

The city implemented a parking ban as of 11 p.m. Sunday. Some communities also posted trash pickup and canceled today’s municipal meetings.

The Naval Submarine Base will be closed to all but essential personnel today.

Sailors will be in liberty status for the day, and some of them may be recalled as essential personnel to help with snow removal efforts. Civilian personnel will be granted administrative leave for the day.

The snow, which began late Sunday evening and was to last well into today, could bring 3 to 6 inches to the shoreline, while inland areas could get 4 to 8 inches, said Gary Lessor, a meteorologist at the Western Connecticut State University Weather Center.

Snow was expected to become heavy at times toward this morning. Around daybreak, some sleet and freezing rain were expected to mix along the shoreline, he said.

As the morning progresses, the shoreline is expected to transition to rain, while sleet and freezing rain are expected to come inland, he said.

Snow showers and flurries may fall late this afternoon and evening, with skies expected to clear later in the evening.

But this snowstorm won’t be a repeat of last week’s blizzard.

Lessor said the difference between the two storms will be like “night and day,” in terms of accumulation. However, this snow will be of a heavier variety.

“That was light and fluffy snow, whereas this will be heavy because of the sleet and freezing rain,” he said.

For the rest of the week, temperatures should average close to 10 degrees below normal.

“After this storm, it’s just going to continue to be extremely cold,” he said.

Malloy issued a statement Sunday afternoon urging residents to take it slowly and, if possible, avoid travel during the expected height of the storm this morning. The state’s Emergency Operations Center is slated to open at 4 a.m. today. Malloy also delayed the opening of state offices today, and directed nonessential state employees to report to work at 10 a.m.

“We are also taking steps to make sure that we can take care of those in need of shelter. I urge anyone in need of shelter to call 2-1-1 and continue to encourage local communities to consider opening warming centers or other facilities to help people in need,” he said. Single-digit temperatures and wind chill well below zero are expected to follow the storm tonight.

j.wojtas@theday.com

Twitter: @joewojtas