Snow forecasted for parts of Pennsylvania this weekend

Snow is in the forecast for parts of Pennsylvania this weekend.

The bulk of the western part of the state appears set to get some lake effect snow, according to forecasters.

The "first true blast of much colder air could bring the first snowfall of the season from the Great Lakes to the central Appalachians during Saturday night and into Sunday," AccuWeather senior meteorologist Henry Margusity said on the weather site.

Closer to the Philadelphia area, there's the potential for snow from Saturday night through Monday in the Poconos and other higher-elevation areas in eastern Pennsylvania and northwest New Jersey, according to the National Weather Service. (In Philadelphia itself and the immediate suburbs, there is a chance of rain but snow is not being forecasted.)

The exact timing and locations of any precipitation remain uncertain but forecasters say at least some Pennsylvanians should be prepared for snow.

"We do know there is at least going to be lake effect snow and there will be streaks of snow in lake effect bands and belts that could be fairly significant," National Weather Service meteorologist Paul Head told PennLive.com. The news outlet said Johnstown could get five to eight inches, with places like Pittsburgh, Erie and Altoona all forecasted to get amounts ranging from one to five inches.

The expected snow comes at the beginning of what's expected to be a busy Thanksgiving travel week. AAA projects that the country's roads and skies will see the most holiday travelers in a decade this year.

While it's still too early for detailed forecast information, the Midwest and western parts of the Mid-Atlantic could see poor travel conditions that include rain and snow mid-week, according to AccuWeather.