MILWAUKEE -- Winter isn't wasting any time getting started in Wisconsin.

The National Weather Service has an issued a number of warnings and advisories for days surrounding Christmas.

There's a winter storm warning for the western and northern parts of the state starting Wednesday afternoon through Friday night. There's a freezing rain advisory for parts of southwest Wisconsin into Wednesday afternoon.

There's a winter weather advisory for southern Wisconsin starting late Wednesday afternoon into midday Thursday.

And there's a winter weather advisory for portions of central and northeast Wisconsin Wednesday night through Friday.

The weather service predicts snow, freezing rain and sleet Wednesday night in southwest Wisconsin, snow in the northwest through the east central part of the state and a chance of light snow in much of northeast.

Meteorologists said that hazardous travel, associated with snow- and ice-covered roads, is expected from later Wednesday afternoon through Friday. A winter storm watch means there is a potential for significant snow, sleet, or ice accumulations that might impact travel.

WISC-TV meteorologist Haddie McLean said that the Wednesday will be mostly cloudy and windy with flurries and patchy freezing drizzle giving way to light snow and sleet. Temperatures will remain steady near 30 degrees.

Wednesday night will be mostly cloudy and windy with snow and sleet mixing with freezing rain. McLean said snow accumulation of 2 to 5 inches is possible, with the heaviest amounts west of Madison. She said minor ice accumulation of up to 2/10 inch is likely. Overnight lows will dip to 27 degrees with winds from the east reaching 15 to 25 mph.

Thursday -- Christmas Eve -- will be mostly cloudy and windy with freezing rain, possibly mixed with snow well northwest of Madison, changing to rain in the afternoon east of Richland Center. McLean said ice accumulations of ¼ inch are likely. The daytime high on Thursday will be 35 degrees.

McLean said Thursday night will be mostly cloudy and windy with occasional light rain east of Richland Center possibly mixing with snow by morning. There will be freezing rain and snow west of Richland Center changing to light snow. Temperatures will stay nearly steady in the 30s.

Friday -- Christmas day -- will be mostly cloudy, windy and turning colder with any rain changing to light snow, then tapering to flurries late in the day. McLean said snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches is possible, with the heaviest amounts northwest of Madison. The high will be 33 degrees and temperatures will slowly fall to the middle 20s by late afternoon.

A winter storm warning is in effect until 6 p.m. Friday for southwestern Wisconsin.

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