Milwaukee, Wisconsin – Slick highways and powerful wind gusts could disrupt travel across the Great Lakes region beginning Thursday, Feb. 26, as a wetter late-winter pattern raises the risk for freezing rain and high winds through Monday, March 2.
According to NOAA’s 6- to 10-day outlook issued Friday, above-normal precipitation is favored from Wisconsin through Michigan and into Ohio during the Thursday-to-Monday stretch. With temperatures hovering near seasonal averages, brief drops toward 32 degrees may allow freezing rain to develop, particularly overnight and during early morning commutes.
Region-wide impacts may focus along I-94 from Milwaukee through Chicago and Detroit, and along I-90 into northern Ohio. Elevated bridges over the Fox, Grand and Cuyahoga rivers could ice first if light accumulation develops. In Madison and Lansing, fluctuating surface temperatures may cause rain to briefly mix with freezing rain before changing back. Along the Lake Erie shoreline, including Cleveland and Toledo, wind direction off the lake may influence precipitation type and create localized slick spots.
Wind risk increases late in the period, especially Sunday into Monday. Gusts between 50 and 60 mph are possible along Lake Michigan and Lake Erie shorelines and across open rural areas. Strong winds combined with saturated soil could down tree limbs and cause scattered power outages.
Residents should secure outdoor items, charge essential devices and allow extra travel time during peak icing windows. The unsettled pattern continues through March 2, and additional advisories may be issued across the Great Lakes.
