PITTSBURGH — National Weather Service meteorologist Mike Kennedy said Butler County needs to brace for a mixed bag of weather Wednesday that will affect those on their way to work.

“The morning commute is going to be messy,” Kennedy said Tuesday afternoon.

In response to the coming storm, the Butler, Seneca Valley, Mars, Karns City, Moniteau, Freeport, South Butler and Slippery Rock school districts announced late Tuesday a two-hour delay to the start of classes Wednesday. Butler County Community College planned a 10 a.m. start.

The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory at 3:25 p.m. Tuesday that is in effect until 6 p.m. Wednesday.

Kennedy said because Butler is right on the line between all snow and snow plus freezing rain and sleet, it was difficult to predict what exactly will hit the county Wednesday.

He predicted that snow will begin to fall after midnight and commuters will wake up to a few inches of accumulation.

After 9 a.m. the southern portion of the county could begin to see a changeover to sleet and freezing rain, Kennedy said, before the precipitation returns to snow.

“I can't be more precise about the mixed precipitation,” Kennedy said. “The whole county might see a changeover to freezing rain and sleet.”

If the storm system goes the other way, Kennedy said, warmer temperatures could mean lesser snow accumulation and more sleet and freezing rain.

“Any way you look at it, it's going to be a messy day tomorrow,” he said. “You could get 6 inches of snow, or 3 inches of snow with sleet and freezing rain.”

The only sunny spot in the forecast, Kennedy said, is that temperatures will not dip low enough to prevent salt from working on county roads.

“By early afternoon, temperatures should be right around freezing to just below freezing,” he said.

Kennedy predicts heavier snowfall at around 4 a.m. Wednesday that will taper off in mid-afternoon.

Freezing rain is expected to start mid-morning and continue through early afternoon before the precipitation turns back to snow.

That snowfall should taper off in late afternoon and by early evening, Kennedy said the chance of precip will be down to 30 percent.

“If you have to go out, definitely allow more time and take it easy,” Kennedy said. “If you don't have to be out, stay home.”