1st snowflakes expected across interior Northeast as clipper system approaches

Signs of winter are not far off the horizon across the Northeast. An Alberta clipper system that will bring snow to portions of the Plains and Midwest will spread into the interior Northeast Wednesday night and into Thursday.

This will not be a blockbuster storm by any means, but the first flakes of the season are always a reason to get excited (or upset) about the upcoming winter season.

The clipper system will track across the eastern Great Lakes and into northern New England Wednesday night. A cold rain with temperatures in the upper 30s F can be expected for places like Erie, Pennsylvania, and Buffalo, New York, as the storm approaches.

As the center of the storm system exits northern New England Thursday, winds will shift out of the north, funneling cold air into the region. Places that started off with a cold rain Wednesday night will have some wet snowflakes mixing in before precipitation ends, with falling temperatures Thursday.

"This wintry mix could lead to slushy and slippery travel conditions, especially for Thursday morning's commute," AccuWeather Meteorologist Mary Gilbert said. "For those traveling on interstates 81, 87, 89 and 91, some extra time may be needed to account for adverse conditions," Gilbert added.

With the cold air in place, it is possible some of the snow could stick to area roadways for a time leading to slick spots. The first snow of the season commonly brings along an uptick in automobile accidents, so drivers should remember to take it slow in ice and snow.

Snowfall accumulations will be generally light, from a coating to an inch or two in spots before the storm departs Thursday.

The Adirondacks, as well as the Green and White Mountains across interior New England, would be the most likely candidates for a couple inches of snow as this system passes through.

The upcoming cold and snowy weather may have many people taking the ski and snowboard equipment out of storage for the season. With the persistent cold in place, some ski resorts will be able to turn on the snowmakers to get a head start on a good base snowpack. Multiple ski resorts are projecting their opening dates to come before Thanksgiving this season.

Beyond the clipper system Wednesday night and Thursday across the interior Northeast, a continued cold and active pattern will be in the cards across the region. A storm system that will develop in the southern Plains at midweek will bring soaking rain to many across the South.

As the storm tracks eastward towards the Atlantic coastline, a disruptive snowfall is expected to slide across portions of the mid-Atlantic and Northeast from later Thursday into Friday.

Download the free AccuWeather app to see the latest forecast for your region. Keep checking back for updates on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.