Take your time on Thanksgiving.

If the weather predictions of The National Weather Service ring true, Austin and the surrounding area should see a messy wintry mix of about 1-2 inches of snow along with sleet, rain and ice.

Especially now that holiday shopping kicks off on Thanksgiving night, there’s going to be no shortage of people on the roads Thursday. With holiday stress and people hunting for shopping deals, people are often in a rush on holidays. But shoppers and drivers are going to need to be extra cautious on the ice, since roads and parking lots can turn slick fast.

“Allow extra time to reach your destination,” NWS meteorologist Todd Rieck said. “Just be smart about it. If you’re rushing to dinner, the turkey’s going to wait.”

Winter made its first appearance in southern Minnesota last Friday afternoon into Saturday night, and Austin and Mower County certainly felt the effects. During and after the roughly 3 inches of snow, the Austin Police Department recorded 13 crashes while the Mower County Sheriff’s Office recorded 10, though about three or four likely overlapped.

The average number of car accidents during a regular evening: one or two, according to Austin Police Captain Dave McKichan.

Friday and Saturday’s snow wasn’t exactly a back-breaking blizzard, and Thursday isn’t expected to be an extreme system. But the circumstances make for the high possibility of crashes.

Last weekend, it was the first snowfall. On Thursday, the likelihood for crashes is high due the sheer number of people on the roads heading to family functions and out to shop.

Be cautious this Thanksgiving. The food will wait. The deals will wait. Plan ahead and be safe.