Travel plans for the upcoming Christmas weekend are iffy as a forecast of freezing rain and snow looms.

Further definition of amounts of snow and freezing rain are to be determined. But one thing appears certain.  Temperatures are set to go well below freezing at the end of the week.

A strong storm system is expected to bring significant weather to central Indiana starting late Wednesday night and continuing through Christmas weekend. 

Dangerously cold wind chills well below zero, strong wind, and accumulating snow are all possible with the system.

Wind chills of this magnitude can cause frostbite in less than 5 minutes. Hypothermia can occur if precautions are not taken.

Travel could be impacted by roads quickly icing over at the onset of the Arctic air Thursday night, and additional snowfall could cause difficult travel through Friday.

The National Weather Service forecast reports that on Thursday there is a chance of rain, snow and freezing rain before 2 p.m., then rain, possibly mixed with snow. Thursday's high temperature will be in the mid-to-upper 30s before dropping. 

Going into Thursday night rain is expected before 8 p.m., then rain and snow between 8 p.m. and 2 a.m.  Snow is expected with breezy conditions and overnight temperatures dropping to five degrees.

More snow is in the Friday forecast call with high winds and a high temperature of 14.

A 50 percent chance of snow is in the forecast overnight into Saturday morning. Saturday's high remains very cold at seven degrees.

On Sunday with the temperatures could reach as high as 11 with sun in the Christmas Day forecast.

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