OK, here we go. Snow seems most likely tonight and bitter cold will follow, with the first sign of warmer temperatures on Tuesday.

We remain under a winter storm warning from 7 tonight until 1 p.m. Saturday. Precipitation will start as rain, then change to a mix of sleet and snow before changing to all snow overnight. Expected accumulations range from 4 to 7 inches.

Steve Monday, forecaster for Rowan County Weather, predicts 3-5 inches of snow, but will update his forecast throughout the day at rowancountyweather.com

No ice is in the forecast. Nevertheless, travel will be difficult tonight and tomorrow, as temperatures will not even approach 32.

The timing of the storm is hard to pin down, but it’s possible we will see something falling this afternoon around 3. It will be a cloudy day with a high of 40, but temperatures have already begun to drop. Winds will become north northeast at 5-9 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 40 percent. No accumulation expected until evening.

Snow will begin falling this evening, especially after 7 p.m. There may be periods of patchy freezing fog as well. The low will be 26, with northeast winds at 8-11 mph, gusting as high as 18 mph. The chance of precipitation is 90 percent, with accumulation up to 7 inches.

Snow is likely Saturday morning, too, tapering off in the afternoon. The morning will be cloudy, but clouds will clear throughout the day. The high will be only 29, with more north wind at 9-11 mph, gusting up to 18 mph again. The chance of snow in the morning is 70 percent. Another 1 to 2 inches of snow is possible.

Saturday night will be clear and very, very cold, with a low of just 10 degrees. North northwest wind will blow at 3-8 mph. Make sure to check that the elderly have a safe way to keep warm and bring pets inside. Protect your pipes from freezing.

Sunday brings sunshine, but another cold high of just 30, with northwest wind at 3-7 mph. The night will be frigid, with lows in the single digits, 5-7 degrees. You may want to fill your tubs and save some gallons of water in case pipes freeze.

Monday will bring little relief, with mostly sunny skies and a high of only 32. The low will moderate slightly, but only into the upper teens, around 18.

Tuesday will be mostly cloudy but warmer, with a high of 44. Tuesday night brings a 30 percent chance of rain between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m., then showers after that. The low will be 35.

Wednesday will be even warmer, with a high of 54 and a 40 percent chance of rain under mostly cloudy skies.

Wednesday night has a 30 percent chance of rain, with a low of 37.

Thursday will be partly sunny and warm again, with a high of 54.