Staff reports 9:22 a.m.
Tuesday, January 2, 2018 9:24 am

While local forecasts are predicting just three to six inches of snow on Thursday, there is the potential for significant blizzard conditions, along with whiteouts, hurricane force winds and widespread power outages.

The dire predictions from Accuweather meteorologist Alex Sosnowski indicate much of Maine will be in the crosshairs of such a storm, however, forecast maps say the southwest part of the state, including York County and Lebanon could escape the storm's worst wrath.

A blizzard is a storm that produces snow or blowing snow with winds in excess of 35 mph and a visibility of one-quarter of a mile or less for at least three consecutive hours.

There is the potential for not only a foot (30 cm) or more of snow to fall, in Maine and New Brunswick, but also the risk of hurricane-force winds and frigid air at the same time, Sosnowski said in his report.

Thursday's high is in the mid-20s as snow begins to arrive, but dips down to a high of 13 on Friday, delivering what could be bitterly cold temps during the storm to boot.

The exact track of the storm over the next few days will determine whether the Northern Seacoast gets a wisp of a storm or a wallop.

(Accuweather material was used in this report.)