Forecasters say some snow could start falling Saturday afternoon, but it is more likely to start Saturday evening and get heavy at times Saturday night.

In many areas, the precipitation might start as rain and then change to snow, said Sarah Johnson, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s regional office in New Jersey. As the storm progresses, and warmer air pushes in, the snow will likely mix with sleet and rain in coastal areas and in South Jersey, keeping snowfall accumulations low in those areas.

Most of the precipitation should fall between Saturday evening and the pre-dawn hours on Sunday, and snowfall rates could get close to 1 inch per hour in the heaviest bands, Johnson said. As of now, forecasters are not certain where the heaviest bands will set up, but they are confident it will be a fast-moving storm.

By 5 or 6 a.m. Sunday, the snow and rain should be over, with temperatures rising into the 40s in the afternoon. With temperatures above freezing and the sun expected to be shining, a good amount of snow should melt Sunday afternoon.