Jan. 2—Planning to take down outdoor holiday decorations this week? You might want to tackle the chore before Thursday, when a snowstorm is expected to arrive in Santa Fe.

Meteorologists expect a storm moving in from the West Coast to bring between 4 and 6 inches of snow to the area.

The chance for precipitation Thursday, including rain, snow or a mix of the two, was 80% as of Monday.

There will be a “parade of storms bringing unsettled weather to the Land of Enchantment,” said meteorologist Daniel Porter of the National Weather Service in Albuquerque during a briefing Tuesday.

Temperatures dipping below freezing later this week likely will keep the snow around for a while, he added.

The first possible snowstorm of the new year for New Mexico follows a week between Christmas and the year’s end that brought little snow anywhere in the state, Porter said.

The Thursday snowfall could lead to some moderate traffic problems, including road closures.

The storm is expected to move out of the area Friday, but it could kick off a series of snowstorms, with another following as soon as Sunday. The trend is part of the El Niño weather pattern, which usually leads to a hotter, drier summer in the Southwest, followed by wetter than normal conditions in the fall and winter.

Another storm front originating in the Aleutian Islands could come through the northern part of the state, including Santa Fe, Sunday or Monday, meteorologist Scott Overpeck said.

With cold and snow come additional health risks, such as hypothermia. The meteorologists urge New Mexicans to bundle up and take extra care when navigating wintry weather.

Areas at higher elevations around both Santa Fe and Albuquerque could see more snow, they said.

The weather service warned Thursday’s storm could severely affect travel through Raton Pass.