HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (AP) — As much as 4 inches (10.16 centimeters) of snow is possible in northeastern Mississippi and northern Alabama overnight Friday into Saturday as temperatures plunge and storms cross the region, forecasters said.

The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for both areas and said wintry precipitation could pose a travel hazard as far south as a line from northern Louisiana to northwest Georgia. With high temperatures predicted around freezing in some areas on Saturday, any frozen precipitation could linger into Sunday.

Freeze warnings extended into southern portions of Mississippi and Alabama, which were at the southern tip of an area extending northward to Upstate New York and Vermont that could get snow.

Rain was expected ahead of a strong cold front that will bring winds gusting to 40 mph, the National Weather Service said. On Wednesday, with temperatures above 80 degrees, weak tornadoes caused damage in southern Alabama.

With overnight lows predicted just below freezing Friday night and near 20 degrees on Saturday, the city of Birmingham said it was opening a shelter for people to get in out of the cold.