This time, the wind is going to be more of a hazard than snow, forecasters say.

The approaching winter storm is likely to drop between 2 and 6 inches of heavy, wet snow across the area, WTNH meteorologist Sam Kantrow said. “You should take these figures with a grain of salt though, because they are very dependent on elevation,” he said. “You can be in the southern part of the state and if you are at a higher elevation, you’ll see more snow.”

Wind gusts of 50 miles per hour or more are likely to cause numerous power outages, officials said. The massive storm will reach our area this afternoon, with snow and sleet falling during the evening rush hour.

The storm is expected to be the most severe in the southeastern corner of the state, with 6 to 10 inches of snow possible in the New London area, according to the National Weather Service. Bridgeport and Danbury could see between 3 and 7 inches of snow, the noon NWS forecast said.

But it won’t clear out until midday Friday, after at least two high tide cycles that could bring coastal flooding. Strong winds could cause costal flooding, and tides are expected to be about 3.5 feet above normal, the NWS said. A winter weather advisory, a wind advisory and a coastal flood warning for southern Fairfield and New Haven counties will remain in effect until 6 p.m. Thursday.

United Illuminating Co., which serves most of lower Fairfield and New Haven counties, advises customers to prepare for the storm by stocking up on batteries, candles and bottled water. Once the winds die down, crews will focus first on restoring power to affected public safety facilities and then to efforts that will restore power to the largest number of customers.

“These winds could bring down tree branches and limbs as well as damage power lines, especially combined with any accumulating wet snow,” the NWS said in a Wednesday morning bulletin. “Driving will be difficult, especially on elevated roadways and bridges.”

The current storm is part of a system that started in Montana, hit the Dakotas and Minnesota on Monday and then barreled through Wisconsin and Illinois on its way to Washington.

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The department said the potential for deep snow, loss of power and improper use of heating devices could cause dangerous levels of carbon monoxide to build up.

DPH is urging residents to use portable generators safely and not to bring outdoor grills inside the home for cooking and warmth. Exhaust from portable generators and grills can release dangerous levels of CO.

When using a generator or grill make sure you do so outside and not in the home.

Always run a generator outdoors far from your home and your neighbor’s, at least 20 feet, and away from doors, windows and air intakes.

Deep snow can also increase the risk of CO poisoning in homes and cars.

Make sure inlets and outlets for your furnace are free of snow. Some furnaces have exhaust vents that can be blocked by snow, causing ventilation problems.

After a snowst0rm, make sure your vehicle’s exhaust pipe is clear of snow.

After Superstorm Sandy there were numerous cases of carbon monoxcide poisonings from people improperly using generators and outdoor grills.

Last week a man house-watching an Oxford home was killed by CO fumes along with three dogs in the house.

“I can’t remember if I’ve ever seen that before,” Field said.

The storm that’s coming is unusually widespread, agreed Kevin Nursick of the state DOT. “That’s what’s different here, the size of the area affected.”

“We’re ready,” Nursick said on Thursday morning. “We’re out pre-treating roads, bridges and problem areas on all of the state’s highways with a salt brine solution, and we have 632 state plows and 200 contractors ready to go.

“The timing of this is helping us,” Nursick said. “Two inches of snow during a weekday rush hour can be worse than a blizzard on a Saturday. But once this major weather event hits, we’d advise people to stay off the roads unless its absolutely essential. It isn’t the time for sightseers; we need to keep the roads open for emergency responders.”

The DOT spokesman declined to compare what’s coming with what is considered the granddaddy of all winter storms, the Blizzard of February, 1978. “We don’t have anybody left here who was working then,” Nursick said. “But we’ve all seen storms like this many, many times before. We’ll get through it. There’s no reason to panic.”