Wausau, Wisconsin – Roads across central Wisconsin could turn impassable within hours overnight as up to 0.4 inches of ice begins coating highways, trees, and power lines before the Thursday morning commute.
According to the National Weather Service in Green Bay, an Ice Storm Warning takes effect at midnight tonight for Wood, Portage, Waupaca, Marathon, Shawano, Langlade, Lincoln, and Menominee counties. The most dangerous icing is expected between midnight and late Thursday morning, with impacts lasting until 10 a.m. in Wisconsin Rapids and Stevens Point, and until 1 p.m. in Wausau and surrounding areas.
Ice accumulations between 0.2 and 0.4 inches combined with wind gusts up to 35 mph could snap tree limbs and knock out power for thousands of residents. Major corridors including I-39, Highway 10, and Highway 51 may become slick and hazardous, especially on bridges and overpasses during the early commute window.
Cities like Marshfield, Clintonville, Antigo, and Shawano are likely to see the worst conditions, where even light travel could become dangerous. Officials urge residents to avoid unnecessary trips, charge devices, and prepare emergency kits in case of outages.
Conditions should gradually improve by early Thursday afternoon, but additional advisories or extended outages may continue as crews assess damage.
