ELKHART — The National Weather Service has issued a lake effect snow advisory for northern Indiana from 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 20, through 8 a.m. Thursday.

The advisory was issued on the first day of spring.

The snowstorm could bring 3 to 5 inches of accumulation to Elkhart County and wind gusts from 10 to 20 miles per hour could cause drifting snow on roadways. Temperatures will drop to about 18 degrees overnight.

Thursday will be mostly cloudy with additional snow showers possible and a high of 30 degrees.

Friday and Saturday will be mostly sunny with high temperatures of 36 and 38 degrees, respectively.

This is a sharp contrast to the weather Elkhart County experienced in March 2012, when temperatures climbed to around 80 degrees around St. Patrick’s Day.

On March 20, 2012, the Goshen Air Center recorded a high temperature of 83 degrees. March 21 was the warmest day of the month with a high of 85 degrees.