HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- A double-whammy storm could alter travel plans for people in our area.

Early Wednesday morning Chief Meteorologist Tony Cavalier wanted to get a special alert out to Thursday and Friday travelers, especially those who did not catch his late night broadcast on Newschannel 3.

A strong winter storm will affect our region on Thursday and Friday. Here’s the two day breakdown in a nutshell.

On Thursday we will bask in a warm southerly wind flow so when a cold front arrives in the afternoon, it will be armed with April-like showers and downpours in thunder-squalls. The squall part refers to wind laced rains. Local street flooding and power flickers are likely as winds gust to 40 miles per hour.

Precautions to be taken include securing outdoor Christmas decorations and making sure the French drain outside your house is de-clogged before the rains arrive.

If you can hit the road Thursday morning before the rains arrive for a long trip east and north you should be ahead of the trouble.

Speaking of trouble, cold air will surge in behind the front on Thursday night. After a brief few hour period of drying, snow will break out late at night and chances are good it will snow most of the day Friday and perhaps all the way to Saturday morning points north and east toward Parkersburg (I-77 out of Charleston) and in the mountains (I-79 and WV turnpike, I-64 into the Greenbrier Valley).

With subfreezing temperatures and strong winds to whip the snow squalls around, travel conditions will be poor on Friday. Snow will likely accumulate on roads even in the Ohio, Big Sandy and Kanawha Valleys. Likely impacts from the snow include an alteration in the school schedule (SNOW DAY KIDS!), airport delays and unfortunately slick road conditions into and out of our region before the weekend.

Oh yeah, by the way, Winter arrives officially at 7:11 Friday morning!