Freezing Rain In WI Could Cause Travel Issues, Outages Wednesday: NWS

WISCONSIN — A heavy mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain could sweep into southeast Wisconsin Wednesday alongside wind gusts of up to 40 mph, potentially setting the stage for hazardous road conditions and power outages, according to the National Weather Service.

The NWS on Tuesday put a winter storm warning into effect, lasting from 9 a.m. Wednesday until noon Thursday, for much of the state including Waukesha and Milwaukee Counties. In the greater Milwaukee area, heavy snow and sleet could accumulate up to 4 inches, while ice could accumulate up to a quarter of an inch amid 40 mph wind gusts.

Forecasters said the storm could bring higher snow totals north of the Madison and Milwaukee areas, while the wintry mix and freezing rain are expected in the southern regions of the state. The impacts of the storm in the southeast are expected to ramp up into Wednesday afternoon. The highest amounts of freezing rain are expected toward the Illinois state line, with subtle temperature differences possibly causing significant differences in local ice coverage.

The storm system could pose issues across much of the state, with snow expected further north and an ice storm warning in effect for all counties bordering Illinois, plus Racine County.

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation encouraged people to check road conditions through 511wi.gov amid the bands of snow and precipitation.

"Snowplow crews and emergency responders across Wisconsin are preparing for potentially hazardous conditions on the roads throughout the duration of the storm," a release from WisDOT said Tuesday.

Forecasters encouraged people to keep a flashlight, food and water in their vehicles if they must travel. Power outages and damage to trees are likely because of the ice, the NWS said.

Hazardous conditions could remain for the morning or evening commute, and travel could be nearly impossible, according to the NWS.

Here are some precautions from WisDOT for driving in winter weather:

• Snow means slow. Allow extra travel time, following distance, and reduce your speed during winter conditions.
• Be cautious on bridges, overpasses, and entrance and exit ramps.
• Don’t be overconfident in four-wheel or all-wheel-drive vehicles. All vehicles require additional time and distance to stop in adverse conditions.
• Avoid using cruise control in winter conditions.
• Buckle up and put your phone down while driving. Every trip, every time.
• Leave room for maintenance vehicles and snowplows. Move over or slow down for stopped emergency vehicles.
• Stay at least 200 feet behind a working snowplow. Make sure that you can see the plow’s mirrors to ensure the driver can see you.
• In case of a crash or slide off, stay in the vehicle, turn on the hazards, call 911 and move vehicle(s) out of traffic if possible.