Holiday travel could get messy Thursday.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory from 9 a.m. Thursday until midnight. The weather service is warning drivers to slow down and plan extra travel time over Thanksgiving as a system is expected to bring a mix of snow and ice to the area.

“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.”

A big concern with the system is ice and sleet, but about 1-3 inches of snow is expected in Mower County; however, Rieck noted a shift of a degree or two could change the outlook. A bit more snow is expected to the west.

Despite lower snow totals, Riecks said the area should see a ‘pretty messy weather scenario’ most of Thursday with some early rain mixed with snow on the front end of the system giving way to freezing rain or sleet Thursday evening.

With a high number of people out and about for Thanksgiving and as stores open for holiday shopping Thursday, Rieck said the system could have a larger effect than a similar system on an average day.

“There’s going to be a lot of people out on the roads Thursday night when conditions might be at their worst,” Rieck said.

Rieck warned it won’t take much ice for conditions to deteriorate.

But it’s not just going to be messy for drivers, as Rieck cautioned holiday shoppers and pedestrians to be cautious on slick surfaces, and he urged people to plan for longer travel times even for short trips.

“Travel is something everyone should really be thinking about before heading into Thanksgiving,” he said.

Thursday’s temperature should top out around 35 in Austin shortly after midnight before temperatures drop from there to 30 by 5 p.m. and eventually to a low of 21.

After Thursday night, a clear holiday weekend is expected Friday through Sunday with mostly sunny skies with highs of 28 on Friday, 31 on Saturday and 34 on Sunday, along lows in the teens Friday and Saturday and lower 20s Sunday.

Looking ahead, there’s a slight chance of snow on Sunday night and a chance of snow Monday and Tuesday.