Matt Doody, a National Weather Service meterologist based in Taunton, said the snow totals and type of precipitation are uncertain and likely to change.

There is a potential for up to six to eight inches of accumulation for the far northwest part of the state, forecasters wrote Wednesday, but coastal areas could stay above freezing, meaning totals would be much lower.

Forecasters have issued a winter storm watch for parts of Massachusetts as a potential storm could drop up to three inches in the Boston area over the weekend.

“It looks like it will start as snow everywhere and gradually change into a mix,” he said. “That mix quite literally could be continued snow and straight rain then a mix, or all of the above.”


The winter storm watch covers areas north of the Mass. Pike from Lawrence to the western edge of the state, and does not reach the eastern coast.

The watch takes effect Friday morning and ends Saturday morning. Weather service forecasters indicated precipitation will probably arrive in Eastern Massachusetts between 8 a.m. and noon Friday, with the storm at its worst between Friday afternoon and Saturday morning.

Reduced visibility and downed trees could be an issue in the areas where high accumulations of snow is expected, Doody said. Sleet and freezing rain could leave roads slippery, he added.

Spring time snowstorms are not unusual, Doody said.

“It seems late, but we’ve had storms in the past in April,” he said. “We’ll certainly see something. It could end up being rain for some, but there will be precipitation.”

Winter Storm Watch Issued Friday am into Sat am north of the MA Turnpike and away from the immediate coast. Briefing package attached. pic.twitter.com/nZohRrWnDz — NWS Boston (@NWSBoston) March 29, 2017

Christina Prignano can be reached at christina.prignano@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @cprignano. Mina Corpuz can be reached at mina.corpuz@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @mlcorpuz.