Till now, winter has been gentle.

We — you, dear reader, me and the people who bring you this newsletter — have been spared the season’s worst. But we are getting hammered with snow and sleet and more snow and freezing cold.

Here is the deal.

First, look out your window. It may still be snowing.

It will not snow much — maybe an inch — and should stop by midmorning or briefly turn to rain as the temperature climbs toward 40. (This being a New York Friday, give yourself lots of time to commute.)