Periods of heavy snowfall are expected across the Wasatch Mountains on Sunday, and meteorologists are urging post-Thanksgiving travelers to plan ahead.

That’s because three snowstorms are expected to hit northern Utah this weekend, bringing the possibility of a foot or more of snow in higher-elevation areas, the National Weather Service’s Salt Lake City office is predicting.

The Salt Lake Valley could get about an inch.

The first and mildest of the three systems is expected Friday evening, bringing a light dusting to the mountains, said meteorologist Joe Worster.

“On Sunday is when the fun really begins to happen,” Worster said. “We have a pretty decent system coming in from the Pacific Northwest.”

Snowfall is expected to begin in the morning and continue through early Monday, he said.

The system could leave 4-10 inches of accumulated snow in higher-elevation areas, particularly in Parley’s Canyon and along the Wasatch Back, Worster said.

Utahns planning to drive through those regions Sunday should take “appropriate precautions,” he said. That includes keeping a survival kit handy, inspecting vehicles beforehand and acknowledging one’s own “driving abilities,” Worster said.

Meteorologists are less certain about how much snow the valley will see early Sunday, but current projections show about an inch or less, Worster said.

However, by Sunday afternoon, temperatures in the valley will warm, transitioning that snow into rain, he said.

On the mountains, though, the snow is expected to stick around. It’s promising news for skiers, Worster said, especially as several Utah ski resorts have had to push back their opening dates due to lack of snow.

The mountains could also see another 4-10 inches next Wednesday as another system is predicted to roll in, Worster noted.