Wisconsin – A cold, pale sunrise settles over La Crosse, and the air stings at 18 degrees along the Mississippi River. Pavement looks dry now, but a thin glaze of ice could form late tonight and impact the Tuesday morning drive.
According to the National Weather Service in La Crosse, drizzle and freezing drizzle are expected to move in late this evening and continue into early Tuesday. Light ice accumulations around a hundredth of an inch are possible, especially north of I-90 and across higher elevations in western Wisconsin. Even a light glaze can create slick travel by daybreak Tuesday.
Highs reach 41 degrees today with increasing clouds. Temperatures dip near 31 tonight as drizzle develops. By Tuesday morning, patchy freezing drizzle may linger before changing to plain rain as highs climb to 45 degrees.
Drivers on I-90, Highway 16, and Cass Street should watch bridges and ramps early Tuesday. This is classic flash-freeze season. Melted snow can refreeze quickly if temperatures hover near freezing before sunrise.
Midweek turns milder. Highs reach 49 Wednesday with a chance of rain, then 50 Thursday. By Friday, rain becomes likely with highs near 56 degrees. March will bring nearly 90 extra minutes of daylight to western Wisconsin. Clocks spring ahead at 2 a.m. Sunday, March 8, adding brighter evenings and reinforcing early spring vibes.
Long-range signals favor above-normal temperatures into early next week.
Five Day Outlook for La Crosse, Wisconsin:
Tuesday: High 45, chance of rain/freezing drizzle early, 30%.
Wednesday: High 49, chance of rain, 30%.
Thursday: High 50, chance of rain, 30%.
Friday: High 56, rain likely, 80%.
Saturday: High 53, partly sunny.
