By the time you read this, you should already be on the road.

Freezing rain and sleet are expected to hit the Baltimore region between 12 and 2 p.m., so any holiday treks back home along I-95 should be done before the afternoon, said Charlie Gischlar, spokesperson for the Maryland State Highway Administration.

The administration said Friday to avoid unnecessary travel as the weather shifts from a relatively warm Christmas to sleet and cold. Freezing rain will make roads treacherous, and “ice is nobody’s friend,” Gischlar said.

There’s a winter weather advisory in effect from noon to midnight for portions of northern Virginia and central and northern Maryland, including Baltimore City and Howard, Frederick and Baltimore counties.

National Weather Service meteorologist Cody Ledbetter said a “wintry mix” of light ice and sleet is on the way. While there may be some snowflakes mixed in, the “mess of winter precipitation” will be more rain than winter wonderland.

The farther north and west drivers go, the cooler and icier it will get, Gischlar said. The most important thing drivers can do is slow down, he added. Because it’s the day after Christmas and many have the day off, Gischlar said cautious drivers shouldn’t clog up the roads.

Drivers should make sure their headlights, taillights and hazards are in working order and their tires are up for the weather. Take it especially slow on ramps, bridges and overpasses, as elevated road surfaces freeze first.

Pack your patience, and if you see plow equipment on the road, stay a few car lengths behind them, Gischlar said.

“They’re literally treating the roads for you, and if you pass them, the untreated road is ahead of them,” he said.

For more information, the administration has live traffic cameras so drivers can check their route before hitting the road.

Temperatures dropped significantly in the Baltimore region today, with an expected high of 32 degrees. While it’ll be hard for precipitation to stick to roads in those temperatures, there will be some slick spots, Ledbetter said.

After Friday, it’ll be a “pretty average winter weekend,” he said. Temperatures will reach the high 40s, with a chance of rain on Sunday.

Though it’ll reach nearly 60 degrees on Monday, warmer times will be short-lived. Rain and a cold front will pass through the area Monday heading into Tuesday, when temperatures will drop about 30 degrees. While the sun will be out that day, lower temperatures and wind will keep it feeling cold.