A wetter weather pattern, expected to move into the region beginning with some showers on Friday night, will take hold next week with an inch or two of rain and perhaps a little snow, Storm Center 7 Chief Meteorologist Jamie Simpson said.

Clouds are beginning to stream in and will thicken up into the evening, Simpson said Thursday afternoon, but the region will stay dry.

Same thing Friday until evening, when mostly cloudy skies give way to some showers. Winds out of the southwest will send temperatures into the upper 40s after a start near 30.

The bulk of the next rain likely holds off until after midnight. Those rain showers could end as a few snow showers by Saturday morning, but now it appears they will stay north of the area. Mostly cloudy skies will remain on Saturday with highs in the low to mid 40s.

St Patrick’s Day is more in view with some confidence now, Simpson said, as computer forecast models are beginning to come to a consensus opinion on how the holiday plays out weather-wise.

The day will begin with mostly cloudy skies — the best hope for sun this weekend is Sunday morning north of Interstate 70. Whatever sun the region will get early will disappear again behind clouds.

But, as precipitation does arrive first to the south, it may mix with wet snow on Sunday night.

Monday will be wet, as temperatures climb from the 30s to near 50 in the afternoon. A cold front then moves through Monday night and with it comes the return of colder air for midweek.

A few snow showers also are possible Tuesday with mostly cloudy skies. Temperatures to start the day in the upper 20s will end in the upper 30s.

And this side note: one year ago temperatures in the region hit 77, and that started a stretch that led to the warmest March on record. At least eight new highs were set, including 86 on March 21, 2012.