The Northeast is bracing for its first winter storm of the New Year Thursday.

But, exactly where it will hit and how much snow we can expect has yet to be pinpointed.According to the National Weather Service, snow may begin to overspread the area after 8 p.m. Wednesday.By Thursday morning, there is a 70 percent chance of snow with highs in the upper 20s. It will continue through Thursday night and end Friday morning. No expected accumulation totals have been announced.This report changed from earlier models, which suggested the possibility of a crippling snowstorm over the Northeast, where the snow would be measured in feet, rather than inches.AccuWeather is forecasting that the area can expect a total of 4 to 8 inches of "fluffy snow" to fall during the storm.Meteorologists at the Weather Channel are reporting that a coastal storm will emerge over the Northeast Thursday into Friday as two systems merge along the coast.The problem in determining the details of the storm is that computer models are varying in showing the exact timing and location of the two storms merging.Forecasts will become clearer as we get closer to the storm. The only thing for certain is some precipitation is expected to fall Thursday into Friday, but definitive time frames have yet to be determined.