By most measures, Thursday looks to be a miserable day: cold, rainy and windy.

But given the severe drought and the high fire risk that the three-country point has been dealing with for weeks, that kind of weather creates festive cheer.

A strong cold front approached the region late Wednesday, which will bring heavy rain to the area during Thursday and Friday. Most can expect between 1 and 3 inches of rain total, with the heaviest accumulations in northern and western New York City.

Expect the heaviest rain to fall during the Thursday morning commute. Fortunately, no major flooding is expected due to the rain, but don’t be surprised if you see puddles on the roads, especially in low-lying and poor drainage areas.

The steady rainfall will begin to dissipate by mid-morning, but lingering showers will continue for the rest of the day. So don’t put the umbrella away, you need to keep it nearby – especially north and west of the city where it seems like a persistently swampy day.

The showers will decrease on Thursday evening and during the night. By Friday you can look forward to a much better morning trip. But the same cannot be said about evening traffic.

After a relatively dry morning, the showers pick up again, causing a last drop of moisture to enter the area and disappear before sunrise on Saturday.

While we expect 1 to 3 inches of precipitation, it may not all fall as rain; some of us were able to see our first snow of the season. Unfortunately, if you’re a snow lover and live along much of the I-95 corridor, temperatures won’t be cold enough to tolerate snow.

But further north and west, especially in higher elevations, spots could pick up the first accumulating snow of the season.

A Winter Storm Watch is in effect Thursday evening through Friday morning for Pike, Sullivan and Ulster counties, where up to 4 inches of snow could accumulate at lower elevations. Up to 8 inches is possible at the highest elevations where temperatures will be colder.

But whether this system brings you snow, a few showers, or just rain, there’s one thing you can count on no matter where you live: the colder air.

A northwesterly wind will rise on Thursday, bringing much colder air into the region. On Friday we will all wake up to temperatures in the 30s and wind chills in the 20s. Make sure you have winter coats and rain gear ready; We’re in for a few soggy, cold and stormy days.