NATICK, Mass. -- Residents across the region were bracing Friday for a weekend Nor'easter that could bring up to 1 foot of snow in some parts of New England.

NewsCenter 5's Meteorologist Dick Albert said that the storm was expected to begin at about midnight on Saturday and continue through Sunday. The snow will be steady, with the heaviest snow falling between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Sunday. A blizzard watch was issued for areas south of Boston, and a winter storm watch was in effect for much of Massachusetts.

During the height of the storm, there will be gusty winds and poor driving visibility. The snow is expected to stop by 5 p.m. on Sunday. Some areas of Massachusetts could see 8 to 14 inches of snow. In Boston, about 4 to 5 inches could accumulate.

A coastal flood watch was in effect for some southeastern Bay State towns.

NewsCenter 5's Kelley Tuthill reported that at the Natick Department of Public Works Department, crews were preparing to get a jump-start on the storm.

"The way it's going to hit, from what we are hearing, is the best time it could happen -- a weekend, through the night. Hopefully, it will be a light, fluffy snow," Natick Public Works Department's Tom Collins said.

Some residents who have become accustomed to the unseasonably warm winter flocked to local hardware stores.

In Natick, Home Depot was packed with residents looking to buy shovels, ice melt and snowblowers.

"Since the snow was predicted, we've been seeing all the snowblowers gone. I came in this morning and we had six of them, and they were gone in less than an hour," Home Depot employee Dave Rojas said.

"I had a shovel, but the handle was too long. I brought it back to where I got it. (This shovel) is a wonderful buy," one resident said.