Potential Snow, Arctic Cold For Southeast WI This Weekend, Forecasters Say

MILWAUKEE, WI — Freezing rain and snow showers are expected in the Milwaukee metro area Wednesday afternoon, followed by reoccurring snow showers Thursday and "plummeting" temperatures Friday, the National Weather Service reported.

Visibility on roads may be swamped due to snow showers in southeast Wisconsin Wednesday evening, forecasters said. Snowy conditions are expected across central and southern Wisconsin.

Thursday night and early Friday is expected to have a mix of freezing rain and snow before melting Friday morning.

But warm conditions Friday aren't expected to last long — a cold front will bring temperatures down to Arctic levels late Friday evening and Saturday morning. Forecasters add that lingering moisture on untreated roads could freeze and the cold could add potential for more snow.

Forecasters said their "confidence is growing in the potential for accumulating snow late Thursday evening into early Friday morning."

Here's the forecast for the end of the week.

Wednesday: A chance of rain showers after noon, mixing with snow after 4 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 38. West wind 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40 percent.

Wednesday Night: A chance of rain and snow showers before 7 p.m., then a chance of snow showers between 7 p.m. and midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 20. Northwest wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40 percent.

Thursday: Partly sunny, with a high near 28. Northwest wind around 10 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon.

Thursday Night: Snow before 5 a.m., then snow, possibly mixed with rain. Temperature rising to around 33 by 5 a.m. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90 percent. New snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible.

Friday: A chance of rain and snow before 8 a.m., then a chance of rain between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., then a slight chance of snow after 5 p.m.. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 40. Southwest wind around 15 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent.

Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of snow before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 7. North wind around 15 mph.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 16. North wind 5 to 15 mph.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 5. West wind around 5 mph.

Sunday: A 20 percent chance of snow after noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 23.

Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of snow before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 12.