With a thin layer of soft snow blanketing the Portland area Friday, Portland-area restaurant owners, staff and their potential customers broke out the shovels and kept a close watch on the forecast as they tried to figure out what Valentine’s Day dinner might look like.

A winter storm watch was issued by the National Weather Service on Friday at 3:03 p.m. EST valid from Saturday 7 p.m. EST until Sunday 7 p.m. EST for Livingston, Oakland, Macomb, Washtenaw, Wayne, Lenawee and Monroe counties.

The National Weather Service issued a winter storm watch at 3:21 a.m. on Friday valid from Saturday 1 p.m. until Sunday 9 p.m. for Berkshire County.

Massachusetts could get 3 to 6 inches of snow from weekend storm, then forecasters will be ‘closely watching’ possible coastal storm

A storm arriving in southern Maine on Saturday, just two days after a combination rain-and-snow storm swept through the area, is likely to bring another round of cold, wet weather.

The snow could be heavy at times, before a gradual changeover to sleet, freezing rain, and plain rain occurs throughout the evening hours. Before the changeover commences, several inches of snow are possible,