Wintry Mess with Icy Roads Expected for Simsbury on Saturday

With temperatures hovering around freezing all day, Saturday and precipitation an 80 percent probability, according to the National Weather Service, roads in Simsbury and the rest of the region could easily get icy, and you’ll likely be looking at them through windshield wipers if you’re on the road.

By Saturday night, the precipitation should be over, but there may be wind gusts as high as 29 mph, according to the weather service’s forecast specifically for Simsbury.

You might want to do your shopping tonight rather than on Saturday (or save it till Sunday), although the weather service only suggests completing travel by Saturday morning. With ice, wet snow and wind, you also might want to prepare for a possible power outage.

An inch of snow may accumulate overnight in Manchester, and another 3 to 5 inches accumulate Saturday, according to the weather service (and another half inch on Saturday night).

The weather service has issued a “Winter Storm Watch” in effect from late Friday night through Saturday evening for much of southern New England that warns of dangerous driving conditions and possible downed limbs and power lines.

“Large branches and wires could be brought down where snowfall exceeds 5 inches,” the weather service states in the Winter Storm Watch. “Plan to have travel completed Saturday morning. Driving conditions may be difficult Saturday afternoon and evening.”

Here’s the Simsbury-specific forecast for the next seven days from the National Weather Service (as of the 12:51 p.m., Friday update — for hourly updates, see this Web page):

• Friday afternoon: Sunny, with a high near 37. Southwest wind around 7 mph.
• Friday night: Snow likely, mainly after 4 a.m. Increasing clouds, with a low around 26. South wind around 6 mph becoming calm after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent. New snow accumulation of around an inch possible.
• Saturday: Rain, snow and sleet, possibly mixed with freezing rain, becoming all snow after 4 p.m. High near 34. Light northeast wind becoming north 5 to 10 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent. New snow and sleet accumulation of 3 to 5 inches possible.
• Saturday night: A chance of snow, mainly before 7 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 21. West wind 8 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
• Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 34. West wind around 8 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph.
• Sunday night: A slight chance of snow showers after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 17. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent.
• Monday: A chance of snow showers before 4 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 22. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent.
• Monday night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 5.
• Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 18.
• Tuesday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 1.
• Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 22.
• Wednesday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 6.
• Thursday: Partly sunny, with a high near 30.