GRAY — As of 2:40 p.m. Wednesday, the National Weather Service in Gray is saying that the impending end-of-week storm has the potential to bring "significant snowfall," and while the eventual track of the storm is messing with exact snowfall guesses, "confidence is growing in greater than six inches of snow across the entire area."

In fact, for interior and coastal Lincoln, Knox and Waldo counties, including from Wiscasset and Boothbay Harbor to the south and Lincolnville and Belfast to the north, snow accumulations of 18 to 24 inches are currently possible.

As if the snow wasn't enough to keep people on the edge of their seats with this storm, the NWS is adding that very cold air Wednesday night and northwest winds will combine to produce some dangerously cold wind chills, especially in the northern mountains.

The NWS has issued a winter storm watch from late Thursday night through Saturday morning. Heavy snow is possible, with the snow beginning to fall lightly late Thursday night and continuing Friday and Friday night. Snow will be heavy at times Friday night into Saturday morning.

Current predictions are for likely snowfall amounts in excess of six inches. If the storm track ends up further south, total snowfall will be kept lower, but if the track ends up further north, the likelihood increases for the higher amounts of snow.

Temperatures are predicted between 6 degrees Fahrenheit and 24 F, with northeast winds at 15 to 25 mph and gusts up to 40 mph.

The five-day forecast follows.

Wednesday afternoon: Mostly sunny, with a high near 28. West wind around 9 mph.

Wednesday night: Mostly clear, with a low around minus 2. Wind chill values as low as minus 8. Northwest wind 7 to 14 mph.

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 13 F. Wind chill values as low as minus 8. Northwest wind 5 to 8 mph.

Thursday night: A 30 percent chance of snow after 3 a.m. Increasing clouds, with a low around 9 F. Wind chill values as low as zero. Calming wind becoming northeast after midnight.

Friday: Snow, mainly after 8 a.m. High near 21 F. Northeast wind 10 to 18 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90 percent.

Friday night: Snow, heavy at times. Low around 16 F. Windy. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent.

Saturday: Snow, mainly before 3 p.m. Partly cloudy, with a high around 19 F. Windy. Chance of precipitation is 90 percent.

Saturday night: A 30 percent chance of snow. Partly cloudy, with a low around 9 F. Windy.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 32 F.

Sunday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 19 F.