The first storm of the winter is set to arrive tonight

(Harrisburg) — First came the cold.

Now comes the snow, freezing rain, and sleet.

Forecasts are calling for a wintry mix to start are in the midstate late tonight and continue into tomorrow morning.

The storm is coming from the west, and is expected to make travel difficult beginning around 10 tonight.

Meteorologist Paul Head of the National Weather Service in State College says total accumulations could be low when it’s all said and done.

“And the issue is going to be not so much the snow, but the fact that the surfaces are so cold that when the snow changes to freezing rain, the rain will just freeze to the surfaces of untreated sidewalks, streets and things like that,” says Head.

“If you look at one o’clock in the morning and it’s not snowing, don’t fear it’ll be snowing by two because it’ll be coming in those bands,” he adds.

Head says areas north of Interstate 80 should expect three to five inches of snow, while the midstate could get anywhere from a coating to two inches.

For those looking ahead to Christmas, Head says it’s not looking like it will be a white one – with higher temperatures in the forecast.