A weekend winter storm will bring biting temperatures and dump several inches of snow on areas from the Midwest to Northeast. Forty-two million people are under winter alerts ahead of the storm that will move from west to east, with snow totals accumulating from Minneapolis to Massachusetts.

The timing: look for the first flakes to fly in the evening on Saturday and continue into the morning on Sunday. The immediate New York City area and areas to the north and west will see mostly snow. Sleet and some rain will fall to the south and along the coast.

A wind advisory is in effect until 6 p.m. on Thursday. Once those winds calm down, expect a quiet Friday before the winter storm watch begins early Saturday. Under the current forecast, the snow could start falling in western Minnesota late Friday,