That delicate weather balance over the past few weeks in Vermont that provided a boon of snowfall to ski areas is about to get pretty lopsided.

The forecast for Friday and into the weekend called for rising temperatures, icy conditions, high winds and rain, both freezing and not. So much so, that flood watches and winter storm warnings were popping, as of Friday morning, up all over northern New England and upstate New York.

The National Weather Service in Burlington issued an urgent winter storm watch for Saturday night into Sunday morning warning of possible freezing rain — up to an inch — in much of Vermont. They also warned of the potential for widespread power outages and tree damage as a result.

A flood watch is in effect for Vermont and large sections of upstate New York from Saturday afternoon through Sunday, with forecasts calling for up to 2 inches of rain which could lead to "significant runoff Saturday afternoon in Sunday" due to snow melt, according to National Weather Service forecasts.

Could Burlington break a warm weather record?

Temperatures this weekend were expected to soar into the 50s and, on Saturday, come close to the record high of 56 degrees, set in 1980. A normal high for this weekend would be somewhere in the 20s, according to the National Weather Service in Burlington.

A low pressure system coming up from the Gulf of Mexicio was expected to pump warm, humid air into the region Friday and through the weekend, according to Meterologist Nichole Hammond. One impact of a low pressure system rising over colder air is that the temperature difference can cause freezing rain.

The difference between this warm front and the ones that in recent weeks have produced mostly snow across Vermont is that this one was expected to be a lot stronger.

Commuters got an inkling of just how strong Friday morning as 30-40 mph gusts whipped sections on Interstate 89 in Chittenden County. Those gusts could approach 50 mph or more as the system moves through, which could also bring down trees and cause power outages.

Contact Ryan Mercer at rmercer@freepressmedia.com or at 802-343-4169. Follow him on Twitter @ryanmercer1 and facebook.com/ryan.mercer1. This coverage is only possible with support from our readers. Sign up today for a digital subscription.