Milwaukee, Wisconsin – Slick interstates and powerful wind gusts could disrupt travel across Wisconsin beginning Thursday, Feb. 26, as a wetter late-winter pattern increases the risk for freezing rain and strong winds through Monday, March 2.
According to NOAA’s 6- to 10-day outlook issued Friday, above-normal precipitation is favored across the Great Lakes during the Thursday-to-Monday stretch. With temperatures trending near seasonal averages, brief drops toward 32 degrees may allow freezing rain to develop, particularly overnight and during early morning commutes.
Statewide impacts are likely to focus on southern and eastern Wisconsin. In Milwaukee, elevated stretches of I-94 and the Hoan Bridge could turn slick if light ice accumulates. Along the I-90 corridor from Madison to Janesville, bridges and overpasses may freeze first if precipitation briefly switches from rain to freezing rain.
Farther north, including Green Bay and the Fox Valley, fluctuating surface temperatures could lead to changing precipitation types, especially near the Lake Michigan shoreline. Wind risk increases late in the period, particularly Sunday into Monday. Gusts between 50 and 60 mph are possible along the lakeshore and across open rural areas of central Wisconsin.
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 statewide.
