La Crosse, WI – Roads across central and western Wisconsin could become impassable within hours as freezing rain coats highways and bridges before the Thursday morning commute.
According to the National Weather Service in La Crosse, an Ice Storm Warning is in effect from midnight through late Thursday morning, with ice accumulations between 0.20 and 0.40 inches expected. The heaviest icing is forecast along and north of Interstate 94, including Jackson County, where travel may become nearly impossible by daybreak. In Black River Falls, untreated roads, overpasses, and rural routes are expected to glaze quickly as temperatures hover near freezing.
Further north in Taylor and Clark counties, including Medford and Neillsville, icing could reach a quarter to nearly half an inch, combined with wind gusts up to 35 mph. That combination raises the risk of downed trees and power outages, especially in exposed areas and along secondary roads.
Conditions will vary closer to Interstate 90, but elevated surfaces like bridges and ridge tops will ice over first, creating sudden hazards for early commuters.
Officials urge residents to avoid travel if possible and prepare for outages by charging devices and keeping emergency supplies ready. Ice will gradually taper from south to north late Thursday morning, but warnings remain in effect until at least midday.
