Winter Storm Iola: Unpredictable Nor'easter To Dump Snow Near Boston, DC, New York

The East Coast is about to get the most snow it's seen all season. A nor'easter moving up the Interstate 95 corridor is expected to bring snow, sleet and freezing rain to Washington, D.C., New York City and Boston over the next 24 hours. Winter Storm Iola could bring up to a foot of snow in some cities, according to Accuweather.com.

"This is definitely one of those storms where a few localized areas may end up with far more snow than forecast, while others get less," the Weather Channel reported. The storm is coming from the South, where it dropped rain and snow everywhere from New Mexico to Alabama, the Washington Post reported.

This weekend, the hardest-hit states will likely include Rhode Island and Connecticut. Iola "could be one of the biggest snowstorms so far this winter, which is not saying much," forecaster Michael Palmer told NBC News.

The storm will probably only bring rain to the D.C. area Friday night. The system won't dump snow on lower elevations until it moves into the New York City area Saturday morning. Precipitation will switch from snow to freezing rain and back again Saturday afternoon, and by the time the nor'easter hits Boston at night, the city could see up to 8 inches of snow. “There will be freezing rain, sleet and snow all day," National Weather Service meteorologist Adrienne Leptich told New York Daily News.

The storms could affect visibility and pose a real risk for road safety, so people are encouraged to drive safely.