Wausau, Wisconsin – Roads across northern and central Wisconsin could become impassable within hours as a significant ice storm begins coating surfaces by 7 p.m. tonight.
According to the National Weather Service in Green Bay, an Ice Storm Warning is in effect for much of the region, with ice accumulations ranging from 0.25 to 0.50 inches across Vilas, Oneida, Forest, Lincoln, and Langlade counties through 10 a.m. Saturday. Areas farther south, including Marathon County and Wausau, are expected to see slightly lower totals between 0.10 and 0.30 inches, beginning around 9 p.m. and lasting through 7 a.m.
The combination of ice and wind gusts up to 30 mph is expected to snap tree limbs and bring down power lines, creating outage risks for thousands of residents. Travel conditions are expected to deteriorate rapidly on highways including US-51, I-39, and WI-29, with untreated roads and bridges becoming slick within minutes of icing.
Emergency officials strongly discourage travel overnight. If driving is unavoidable, keep emergency supplies in your vehicle and check Wisconsin 511 for real-time road conditions. Residents should charge devices now and prepare for extended power outages.
The icing threat will taper off by late Saturday morning, but lingering hazards and cleanup efforts may continue through the weekend.
