The dire early forecasts over this week’s winter storm set an ominous tone. The polar vortex was back, the Midwest states were churning,and the jet stream was just right to produce a gargantuan blizzard, a nor’easter to end all nor’easters.

Flights out of Logan were cancelled en masse, Governor Patrick postponed his last State of the Commonwealth address, school and college classes were cancelled, corner stores were cleaned out of milk and bread. The winter apocalypse was headed our way.

That was Tuesday afternoon. By Wednesday, as light dawned and sunshine was near, Bostonians went out with snow blowers, shovels, and even brooms, and whisked the bothersome white stuff away in a few brief minutes.

The official accumulation was just five inches in Boston, the frigid temps insuring it was of the light, fluffy type. It looked for all the world as if someone had dropped a truckload of Ivory Snow - a flaky detergent that anyone over 35 will remember, but ceased production in 1978- across the neighborhood. But the storm was much less than predicted.

Still, the new Walsh administration passed its first test of winter weather with flying colors. The new Mayor assembled his team for a cautionary City Hall news conference, and even answered some phone calls at the Mayor’s Hotline.

The early call on snow emergency parking bans resulted in plows able to move through the streets, and by Wednesday’s morning commute, most city traffic was moving briskly.

It was a good starter storm for the new administration. There will certainly be bigger hurdles in front of them, but it was a nice opportunity to show how city government functions with a new team in place. Give credit to Mayor Walsh: They responded very well to this first winter drill. - Ed Forry