Mass. Weather: Icy rain could make roads slippery Saturday morning

The weekend is expected to start with some icing that could make Massachusetts roads dangerous for travel.

Before that happens, calm weather conditions are expected Friday, according to the National Weather Service. Mostly clear skies should be followed by clouds moving east from New York, advancing late morning into early afternoon.

Temperatures are expected to be in the mid 30s to low 40s.

Clouds should increase throughout the afternoon Friday, bringing with it a frontal system, forecasters said. This system was expected to begin raining between 4 and 6 a.m. in western parts of New England and between 5 and 8 a.m. in central and eastern parts of southern New England.

“The types of precipitation will be either rain or freezing rain, depending on the surface temperature, with no in between,” meteorologists said. “The greatest risk for light ice accumulations is in interior southern New England north and west of Interstate 95. Freezing rain should gradually transition to light rain from south to north as temperatures slowly rise above freezing.”

Meteorologists expect this next storm to be “a really light event” in terms of precipitation. Rain accumulations could be 1 tenth of an inch, 2 tenths of an inch at most. Temperatures should be cold enough to cause freezing rain and icing. The effects of the rain could also affect the arrival of those returning from vacation.

Given these odds, meteorologists issued a winter weather warning that is expected to go into effect Saturday between 4 a.m. and 1 p.m. The assessment covers west and east Franklin, west and east Hampshire, north Middlesex, west Hampden and north and south Worcester counties.

“Pavements, roads and bridges may become very slippery, resulting in dangerous driving conditions,” the warning says.

Meteorologists advised travelers to slow down and exercise caution.

Late in the day the precipitation should then shift into the sea. A warm front is expected to follow, resulting in low temperatures around 30 degrees to almost 40 degrees on Saturday night.

Further mild rainfall is expected to follow on Sunday and continue into Monday morning. Temperatures should remain high, with a dry, warm break of rain on Tuesday that will see temperatures in the high 40s to low 50s.

Another storm is expected to hit on Wednesday, bringing about an inch of rain. Snow is not expected, but there is a certain probability that freezing rain will occur again. The arrival of another cold front is expected to bring temperatures down again on Thursday, when cool and dry conditions are expected.