By Mark LaFlamme,Staff Writer

You’ve heard the rumors. We’re going to get pounded. The biggest snowstorm of the season is on its way.

It might be true if you live in the southern part of New England or in the Great Lakes region. Otherwise, weather officials say, relax. Watch some football and don’t worry much about how your snow blower is running.

“It will be just enough to be a pain in the you-know-what,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Tony Lacroix. “Lewiston might see 2 inches or so.”

That’s good news in the Twin Cities. But other parts of the country were bracing for a big hurt of snow and cold.

A snowstorm moving from Canada across the Great Lakes was expected to dump up to 15 inches of snow in New Jersey and areas around New York City.

Lacroix said southern York County in Maine might get up to a half-foot of snow. Otherwise, he expected this area to be spared the worst of the storm. You might use a broom instead of a shovel to clear off the steps.

“It’s typical weather,” Lacroix said. “But these back-to-back snowstorms are driving us nuts.”