La Crosse, WI – Northwestern Illinois, southwestern Wisconsin, and eastern Iowa are bracing for potentially severe weather on Wednesday, with storms expected to impact areas south and along Interstate 90. The National Weather Service (NWS) warns that a cold front moving through the region could produce strong to severe thunderstorms between 3 p.m. and 10 p.m. The primary threats include large hail and damaging winds, making travel and outdoor activities hazardous during peak hours.
According to the NWS in La Crosse, the highest risk areas lie within northwestern Illinois and southwestern Wisconsin. Storms will begin developing in the afternoon and may strengthen as they approach populated corridors near I-90. Forecasters expect the severe weather to gradually weaken by around 10 p.m. but advise residents to remain cautious until the system has fully cleared the area.
Residents are urged to prepare for possible power outages and tree damage from strong winds. The NWS advises having multiple ways to receive weather alerts, including smartphone notifications and local radio broadcasts, in case storms disrupt phone service. Anyone with outdoor plans should be ready to take shelter indoors quickly if conditions worsen.
Beyond Wednesday, forecasters anticipate relatively mild conditions across the region through the remainder of the week. Thursday should see mostly clear skies with highs in the low 60s, while Friday and Saturday will likely remain dry with slightly cooler temperatures, hovering in the upper 50s. However, another cold front may bring scattered showers to the area on Sunday, with temperatures expected to dip further.
