La Crosse, WI – A narrow band of wintry mix is spreading across southeast Minnesota and western Wisconsin before noon Tuesday, already contributing to crashes in the Twin Cities and setting up slick travel through midafternoon.
According to the National Weather Service in La Crosse, a Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect until 3 p.m. CST for portions of southeast Minnesota and west-central Wisconsin, including Rochester, Austin, Winona, La Crosse, Viroqua and surrounding communities. Mixed precipitation is expected to leave a thin glaze of ice on roadways as temperatures hover near freezing.
Even a light coating can create hazardous stretches on U.S. 52, Interstate 90 and Highway 14. Bridges, overpasses and untreated secondary roads may ice over first, leading to sudden loss of traction. Numerous accidents were reported earlier in the Twin Cities metro area under similar conditions.
Motorists are urged to slow down, increase following distance and check road conditions at 511mn.org in Minnesota and 511wi.gov in Wisconsin before traveling.
Precipitation should taper by midafternoon, but slick spots could linger into the evening commute where ice persists.
