SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Brace yourselves, Utah. Snow is in the forecast.

While, of course, this isn’t the first snowfall of the season, this is the first storm to have a widespread effect and see snow inch closer to the valleys.

The incoming storm system from the Pacific Northwest will hit late Wednesday night before moving across the state on Thursday and tapering off. The National Weather Service of Salt Lake City warns that Utah’s northern mountains could see five to ten inches of snow.

Most of that snow will stay in the higher elevations such as the Wasatch Mountains and the Western Uinta Mountains. The NWS Salt Lake City said the snow levels will start at 8,000 feet but could quickly get as low as 5,000 feet by Thursday morning. For reference, Salt Lake City is situated at 4,265 feet in elevation.

“Snow, heavy at times, will spread across the area beginning late Wednesday night, then become widespread and heavy at times Thursday morning,” reads the issued Winter Weather Advisory, which spans from Nephi to Logan and covers much of northern Utah. “Snow will taper to showers Thursday afternoon before ending by early Thursday evening.”

Winter driving conditions are expected to hit Utah’s canyons, particularly the upper Cottonwoods. According to the NWS Salt Lake City, the Alta area could see as much as a foot of snow.

NWS said hikers, hunters, campers, and other recreationists should be prepared for winter conditions and accumulating snow, especially in the backcountry. Driving conditions will also decline, so commuters should slow down and use caution.

In addition to the Winter Weather Advisory, the Salt Lake City NWS issued a Freeze Warning for the Wasatch Front, Tooele and Rush Valleys. Temperatures will be about 10 to 15 degrees below normal with sub-freezing temperatures possible in the mid to upper 20s.

The frost and freeze conditions could kill crops and other sensitive vegetation and could cause damage to exposed unprotected outdoor plumbing. Residents within the Freeze Warning should also allow slow drip for outdoor pipes. Those with in-ground sprinkler systems should drain them and cover above-ground pipes to protect them from freezing.

ABC4 will be tracking the storm as it happens and provide the latest updates with our 4Warn Forecast Weather Team so you can stay on top of Utah’s weather.