Although December is off to an auspicious and brown start, things will soon be getting white.

Unfortunately for snow-lovers, they will be going back to brown just as quickly.

The National Weather Service in Gray is tracking a winter storm that is expect to impact the Midcoast on December 9. The storm could bring up to several inches of snow, Meteorologist Margaret Curtis said.

“Well, it will start as snow, just before day break,” she said. “We expect the storm to come up the coast early Monday morning and you folks there by the ocean can expect things to stay a little bit warmer.”

Curtis said that means the mountains will get the white stuff throughout the day while the Midcoast gets a slushy grab bag.

“It's looking like it's going to turn into sleet and rain in the afternoon,” she said. “I wouldn't expect a lot (of snow) but there could be a couple of inches before it starts raining.”

Curtis said the storm that will slog across Maine is made up of the wintry mess that's crawling through the midwest and a blast of cold that's creeping along the northern part of the country.

“Right now there's a big storm moving through Arkansas and there's a lot of cold air stuck in the middle part of the country,” she said. “Luckily we live in mild Maine.”