Blast Of Cold Could Last Into Weekend For Much Of Wisconsin

WISCONSIN — While snow showers are expected to continue into Thursday evening for much of the Badger State, national forecasters said a push of Arctic air across much of the country could plunge Wisconsin temperatures by Friday.

Around 90 percent of the country will experience below-average temperatures through the weekend, said AccuWeather Meteorologist Brandon Buckingham in a report.

"Conditions were already cold across the Midwest Thursday morning when temperatures reached only the upper 20s in Minneapolis and lower 30s in Chicago," Buckingham said.

The National Weather Service's hazardous weather outlook forecasts snow into Thursday evening for much of southeast Wisconsin with light but potentially slick accumulation and reduced visibility in heavier snow; Snowfall was expected to peak by midday.

Temperatures on Friday morning could feel into the single digits considering wind chill, according to AccuWeather, with Saturday morning much the same feeling between 0-10 Fahrenheit.

For the greater Milwaukee area, that translates to a high around 26 on Friday and a high around 26 on Saturday, according to the NWS. The cold could come in with west wind around 15 mph gusting up to 25 mph.

The cold temperatures are set to bring intense snowfall to much of the Great Lakes region through Sunday, possibly delighting skiers, snowboarders and sledders venturing up to the Northwoods, though, intense snowfall was not forecast for much of lower Wisconsin, according to Accuweather.

Here's your National Weather Service forecast into the weekend for greater Milwaukee:

Thursday: Snow showers mainly before 5 p.m. with a high around 30 and west wind around 15 gusting up to 25.

Friday: High around 26 with wind gusts up to 25 mph and a low around 14 into the evening.

Saturday: Twenty percent chance of snow showers with a high around 26 and wind gusts up to 30 mph. Low around 9 into the evening.

Sunday: A mostly sunny day with a high around 31 and southwest wind 10 to 15 mph, partly cloudy into the evening with a low around 21.