Snowy, icy conditions will be a prelude for the first day of spring Wednesday

By Sarah N. Mattero, Globe Correspondent

The spring equinox may be approaching, but don’t put away your mittens and scarves just yet.

A winter storm is expected to move into the area Monday night, bringing up to 7 inches of heavy snow in Boston and icy commutes across the state, according to the National Weather Service.

Sunny skies throughout the day Monday will turn into snow showers that night, making for a difficult commute Tuesday morning, said meteorologist Alan Dunham.

“It’s not going to be pleasant,” he said. “The morning commute will be sloppy, so allow for extra time.”

Areas near Route 128 and Interstate 95 could see anywhere between 4 to 7 inches of snow, plus ice as the temperatures rise, turning the snowfall into rain, according to meteorologist Eleanor Vallier-Talbot.

Residents west of Route 495 will see more accumulation with 5 to 14 inches of snow predicted to fall Monday night and into Tuesday, she said.

“We may have some lowered visibilities at times, maybe down to a half mile,” Vallier-Talbot said. “[But] no where near blizzard conditions.”

Vallier-Talbot said that in order for the storm to be considered a blizzard, high winds and visibility under a quarter of a mile would have to last for at least three hours. Winds are expected to be 10 to 15 miles per hour across the state, while Boston residents may see some wind gusts of up to 20 miles per hour.

Roads left untreated Tuesday night after the snow tapers off may freeze or be slick Wednesday morning when temperatures drop to the upper 20s, Dunham said.

After Wednesday, the equinox and the first official day of spring, Dunham said conditions are expected to be dry but cloudy the rest of the week. Temperatures are expected to be in the upper 30s, possibly reaching the low 40s on Friday.

“It’s definitely not going to feel spring-like,” he said.