Michael Ouelette, of Bristol, paddles his dinghy from his quahogging skiff in a stormy Barrington Harbor Friday. He says it was tough going but he got three bags of quahogs. "If you think it’s bad now, wait two months!" he joked.

The Providence Journal / Bob Thayer

Early snow showed up in Rhode Island on Friday, and the forecast of more cold, wet weather prompted the cancelation of several events.

Snow arrived in northern Rhode Island Thursday afternoon. More flakes made an appearance Friday morning — in a month that ordinarily gets just one-tenth of an inch of snow, according to the National Weather Service. An observer for the National Weather Service called Friday to report flakes falling in West Greenwich shortly before 7 a.m., according to meteorologist Jeremiah Pyle. Not enough has fallen for an official measurement.

And Thursday afternoon, a state police lieutenant saw snowflakes falling at his Chepachet home around 3:30 p.m. They didn’t stick, Lt. Eric LaRiviere said. Later, as he patrolled the state on the overnight shift, from 8 p.m. Thursday to 8 a.m. Friday, he said slush was hitting the windshield in Scituate and other parts north. Farther south, just rain fell.

As for the cold Thursday, the National Weather Service reports a dubious distinction for Thursday — the high temperature hit only 44 degrees. At this time of year, the average high temperature is in the low 60s, Pyle said. The lowest high temperature on the books for Oct. 15 was 50 degrees — set back in 1937, Pyle said.

Pyle said Saturday should be the driest day of the weekend.

But another coastal storm is expected to head our way Saturday night and into Sunday, according to the National Weather Service. That should bring heavy rain, but it’s unlikely to bring snow to Rhode Island, Pyle said. The temperature isn’t expected to be low enough for snow, he said.

Meanwhile, the state Department of Environmental Management said that the fire tower at the Division of Forest Environment’s Chopmist Headquarters in North Scituate will not be open to the public Saturday after all.

The DEM blamed the inclement weather and said the climbing conditions on the 85-foot structure might be hazardous.

There are no plans to reschedule the event this year, the DEM said.

The weather forecast also brought the cancelation of cricket demonstrations and games, as well as an Indian food festival planned for Sunday at the University of Rhode Island’s Kingston campus.

This was the second attempt to hold the event, but bad weather again foiled plans by the organizers of URI Honors Colloquium, “Demystifying India.” There are no plans to reschedule the cricket and food event.

Other aspects of the colloquium, including a lecture series, textile exhibit and art exhibit continue as scheduled. For the most up-to-date information on all Honors Colloquium programs, go to uri.edu/hc.

tmorgan@projo.com