La Crosse, Wisconsin – A powerful late-season winter storm could bring heavy snow, ice, and blizzard conditions to parts of the Upper Mississippi Valley beginning Saturday night and intensifying Sunday into Monday.
According to the National Weather Service in La Crosse, forecasters have high confidence that at least one corridor in the region will receive more than 12 inches of snow, with localized totals approaching 2 feet where the heaviest band develops.
Current projections place the highest snowfall potential north of Interstate 90, including areas near La Crosse, Winona, Rochester, and Eau Claire, where snowfall rates could reach 1 to 3 inches per hour during the strongest bands.
However, the exact location of the heaviest snow remains uncertain. Meteorologists say the storm track could shift slightly north or south, which would move the heavy snow band and affect where the largest totals fall.
Areas near and south of Interstate 90, including parts of northeast Iowa and southwest Wisconsin, may see a mix of sleet or freezing rain early Sunday before colder air changes precipitation to snow later in the day.
As winds increase Sunday evening, blizzard conditions become possible, especially where heavy snow is falling. Strong winds could produce widespread blowing and drifting snow and sharply reduce visibility.
Travel across the region could become very difficult or even impossible Sunday afternoon through Sunday night, especially along I-90 and surrounding highways.
Forecasters say the storm’s most significant impacts are expected Sunday through Monday, and additional watches or warnings could be issued as confidence increases in the storm’s track.
