They are the four most dreaded words of winter.

Northern and western suburbs.

Where exactly these nefarious ‘burbs are exactly I have never been able to figure out. All I know is that they are magic when it comes to the way the local media treats their favorite winter topic – the weather.

If you had not noticed, we got a sloppy mix of rain, sleet and a little snow yesterday afternoon through last night.

It was not a crippling storm. But it was winter precipitation, which means it’s enough to lead the TV and radio news.

I cleared off my car last night. There was a small accumulation of snow. This morning I brushed off a little bit of ice on the windshield. Then I got in and drove to work, pretty much like any other rainy morning.

Yes, I went a little slower. If it was icy in spots, I didn’t notice it. The only rough spot I encountered was some debris from a downed tree that was sitting on Providence Road out in Edgmont. Apparently a downed tree and power lines also closed Bryn Mawr Avenue near Brookside Road in Newtown.

But it didn’t keep the TV folks from blathering all night about how “treacherous” it was out on the roads. It must have cleared up by this morning.

Eventually, I suppose we will get a substantial winter storm. We usually get a couple each year. I do not look forward to them. I dislike winter. In fact I hate it a little more each year.

I do not work for TV. I don’t get any great thrill out of trying first to get a staff into the office, then telling the story that does not really translate all that well to newspapers.

Maybe I’m just too old school.

In other words, don’t hold your breath waiting for me to be out there sticking a ruler in the snow. Or the glop that accumulated last night.