SafeX Pro Exchange|New England battling a mix of wind, rain, sleet and heavy snow

BOSTON (AP) — It may officially be SafeX Pro Exchangespring, but New England is battling a wintry weather combination across the region Saturday with more than a foot of snow expected in ski county, and rain, wind and possible flooding in southern areas and along the coast.

In Maine the National Weather Service warned of a treacherous travel day with an increase in ice forming inland from the coast, on top of snow or sleet that has already fallen.

Farther inland forecasters are calling for anywhere from one to two feet of snow across the mountains in western Maine and areas north and in the White Mountains, according to Maura Casey, a lead forecaster for the weather service, based out of Gray Maine.

In the lakes region of New Hampshire up to Maine totals are expected to be somewhat lower at six inches up to a foot with sleet and freezing rain mixing in.

“There’s a pretty steep cut off with lower amounts near the coast and higher amounts in the mountains,” Casey said.

Across Connecticut, New York City, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts the storm is expected to remain largely a rain event, with some freezing precipitation in the earlier part of the day in western and central Massachusetts before turning to all rain.

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The heaviest rain is expected in the late afternoon and evening spreading across Connecticut and western and central Massachusetts from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and across Rhode Island and eastern Massachusetts from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. The rain could linger over Cape Cod and Nantucket until midnight.

“Overnight dry weather will give way to sunshine,” said Frank Nocera, lead forecaster for the National Weather Service in Norton, Massachusetts. Despite the sun, Sunday is expected to be blustery with temperatures chillier than average for late March, he said.

The storm should be completely out of the New England region by Sunday morning.

There is a threat of flooding across the region including in far southern New Hampshire where morning snow and sleet could clog storm drains for this afternoon’s heavier rainfall, according to the weather service.

The rain could also produce flooded rivers in Rhode Island and southeast Massachusetts. The weather service has also issued flood watches across Connecticut and portions of New York.

The storm comes at the end of winter season in some areas of the Northeast, including Boston, that saw little snow and warmer temperatures.

The blast of snow and freezing rain in northern New England came after parts of Montana, the Dakotas, Minnesota, Illinois and Wisconsin were issued winter weather advisories earlier in the week.

The spring follows a wild winter, with record heat in February allowing for golf in Wisconsin and outdoor food trucks in Minnesota.