An already active winter is about to shift into overdrive as a trio of storms over the weekend and into next week deliver snow to the Midwest, East and possibly as far south as the Gulf Coast.

Winter storm watches have been issued for eight counties in northern New Jersey as the state braces for a weekend storm system that could drop as much as 6 to 10 inches of snow in some areas and create dangerous road conditions across the region on Sunday.

The snow forecast may be somewhat up in the air, but one thing is for sure: Any snow that falls will not be melting next week.

The National Weather Service issued a winter storm watch at 3:04 p.m. on Friday valid from Sunday 10 a.m. until Monday 1 a.m. for Carbon, Monroe and Northampton counties.

Some forecasters think most of the state will get brushed by very light snow, while others say 3 to 6 inches could fall

If the storm shifts yet again, there is the chance that the city could see up to 9 inches of snow or nothing more than an inch.

On Friday at 3:05 p.m. the National Weather Service issued a winter storm watch valid from Sunday 10 a.m. until Monday 1 a.m. for Northern Wayne and Southern Wayne as well as Lackawanna, Luzerne and Pike counties.

A winter storm watch was issued by the National Weather Service on Friday at 3:08 p.m. valid from Sunday noon until Monday 4 a.m. for Passaic, Bergen, Essex and Union counties.

On Friday at 3:07 p.m. a winter storm watch was issued by the National Weather Service valid from Sunday noon until Monday 7 a.m. for Northern Worcester and Southern Worcester as well as Franklin, Hampshire,