Wintry Mess with Icy Roads Expected for Manchester on Saturday

With temperatures hovering around freezing and precipitation a 90 percent certainty, according to the National Weather Service, roads could easily get icy, and you’ll be looking at them through windshield wipers if you’re on the road.

As if that isn’t bad enough, it could get windy, with winds of 8 to 13 mph possibly gusting as high as 21 mph on Saturday and 24 mph on Saturday night and Sunday, according to the Manchester-specific forecast of the weather service (as of their 11:53 a.m. update, but see this Web page for hourly updates).

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 Manchester-specific forecast from the weather service (as of 11:53 a.m., Friday — but see this Web page for hourly updates):

• Friday afternoon: Sunny, with a high near 36. Southwest wind around 6 mph.
• Friday night: Snow likely, mainly after 4 a.m. Increasing clouds, with a low around 27. South wind 3 to 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent. New snow accumulation of around an inch possible.
• Saturday: Snow and sleet, possibly mixed with freezing rain before noon, then rain and snow. High near 34. Light northeast wind becoming north 6 to 11 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90 percent. New snow and sleet accumulation of 3 to 5 inches possible.
• Saturday night: A chance of snow, mainly before 9pm. Cloudy, then gradually becoming partly cloudy, with a low around 21. Northwest wind 8 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
• Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 35. Northwest wind around 7 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph.
• Sunday night: A slight chance of snow showers after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 18. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent.
• Monday: A chance of snow showers before 4pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 23. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent.
• Monday night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 6.
• 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 7.
• Thursday: Partly sunny, with a high near 30.