Though Austin is expected to miss the brunt of an incoming heavy snowstorm, meteorologists are still uncertain whether the storm will stay on its current path.

The National Weather Service still has a winter storm watch from Thursday evening to 7 p.m. Friday for the Mower County area. Yet warm and cool air systems have the potential to change the storm’s track and even whether we see rain or snow.

“The big question will be how much warm air will get wrapped up into the system,” said Dan Jones, NWS meteorologist.”

Austin is expected to get a little snow Thursday night and 2 to 4 inches during the day Friday, though Jones said warmer air could significantly reduce the amount of snow we get.

Yet the snowstorm could drop record snowfalls and is predicted to mess up the Friday morning commute in the Twin Cities.

Forecasters say a mix of precipitation is expected to turn over to heavy snow after midnight Thursday and leave as much as a foot of snow in the Twin Cities by midmorning.

Wind gusts of 40 mph late Thursday night could make travel difficult in open areas.

The St. Paul Pioneer Press says if Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport gets 10 inches of snow or more, it would be the Twin Cities largest April snowstorm since 1983 when 13.6 inches fell.

A winter storm warning is in effect for the Twin Cities from Thursday afternoon to Friday night.