By John Schwing

WESTPORT — Fall arrives early Saturday with an unwelcome mix of wet and potentially wild weather, according to forecasters.

Autumn officially starts at 2:53 a.m. Saturday, blustering into the region with what is expected to be heavy rain, possible thunderstorms, gusty winds and coastal flooding throughout the weekend, according to the National Weather Service.

The unsettled start to the season here, in part, is caused by the impact of Tropical Storm Ophelia, which is projected to hit the mid-Atlantic states’ coastal regions hardest starting Friday night.

But, according to National Hurricane Center tracking, Ophelia will spin off winds and rain that will be felt farther to the northeast.

The combination of wind and rain expected to buffet the Westport region starting Saturday morning has prompted the NWS to issue both a “Hazardous Weather Outlook” and “Coastal Flood Advisory.”

Rain, with potential for downpours, on both Saturday and Sunday, could potentially total two inches or more, the NWS says.

Blustery winds both days may be packing gusts clocked as high as 35 mph, with chilly daytime temperatures rising to a high of only about 60 degrees.

Not only are low-lying coastal regions at risk of flooding, the weather service warns, but also possible is “shallow flooding on some roads and low-lying property, including parking lots, parks, lawns and homes/businesses with basements near the waterfront.”

Stormy conditions may carry into Monday, with a 40 percent chance of rain, according to the NWS, before skies clear Tuesday.

With the combination of heavy rain and strong winds, power outages are possible.

Service disruptions can be reported online at Eversource.com or by calling 800-286-2000. Customers who signed up for the power company’s two-way texting feature can send a text to report an outage and receive outage updates as they happen.