Dec 9, 2010; 10:30 AM ET

The monster storm and its accumulating snow are still “on” for the eastern Great Lakes and parts of the Midwest, central Appalachians, and neighboring Canada this weekend.

Enough snow to shovel and plow will fall over this region, but the primary form of precipitation along the I-95 corridor will be drenching rain.

Travel in much of the region will be a “bear” as a result.

However, there are some forecast problems that remain with the storm, due to its complexity, track, dry air pockets, and changeover times in some locations from not only snow and ice to rain, but also back to snow and a freeze-up at the end.

Computer models Thursday continue to play their game of “Whack-A-Mole” as far as storm track is concerned. This alone will have drastic effects on who in the U.S. gets the lollipop of snow from the storm itself.

This map represents our latest thinking in terms of snowfall as of Thursday afternoon. Keep in mind these amounts “do not” reflect lake effect snow which will tend to blend in to the rear of the storm. Even a coating of snow south of the shaded accumulation area over portions of the Ohio Valley and central Appalachians can lead to slippery travel conditions.

Dry air pockets are another big concern. Along with the threat of areas of heavy, travel-stopping snow and blowing snow, the double-barreled storm may have more holes in it than a block of Swiss cheese.

That being said, if you have travel plans to or through Chicago, Indianapolis, Detroit, Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Toronto, or Ottawa this weekend on the ground or by air, expect problems from snow, wind, icy roads, and low visibility at times.

This includes the major interstate highways 70, 80 and 90 in the region.

Rest assured, as the storm intensifies upon reaching the interior Northeast later Sunday, high winds over the Great Lakes and Midwest will cause extensive blowing and drifting snow on the ground.

For portions of this area, a blizzard is still in the cards.

Invading cold air will lead to wet areas becoming icy. This freeze-up will not only be a problem in the Midwest, but could reach all the way into the Tennessee Valley, southern Appalachians and the infamous I-95 Northeast megalopolis, according to Expert Senior Meteorologist Henry Margusity.

The coldest blast of the season so far and possibly the entire winter will sweep from the northern Plains and Great Lakes to the Deep South and Atlantic Seaboard.

Lake effect generated by this colder air and harsh winds will be nasty and crazy, leading to additional travel hardships, and could surpass the magnitude of those from earlier this week.

By far, the heaviest snow from the storm itself will hit areas in southwestern and central Quebec hardest. This is where the secondary storm that forms over the mid-Atlantic will focus the brunt of its energy and moisture, weaning out pockets of dry air in the process.

Those pockets of dry air and snow “rip-off” will plague portions of the Midwest, eastern Great Lakes and central Appalachians.

In addition, rain or a wintry mix will fight to cut down on accumulations from the Ohio Valley to portions of the central Appalachians.