Parts of central and southern Wisconsin could see a messy morning commute Tuesday, Nov. 18 as a mix of rain and snow moves through the area.
Areas north of Interstate 94 and west of Interstate 41 are most likely to see slushy snow accumulations between midnight and 9 a.m. Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service.
The system is known as banded snowfall, meaning there’s a narrow corridor that will see more significant snow accumulations.
“We can’t necessarily pin down exactly where. We just know that it’s going to be somewhere,” NWS meteorologist Michaela Heeren said.
Areas north and west of Madison, such as Wisconsin Dells, Portage and Montello, could get one or two inches of snow.
A winter weather advisory is also in effect for parts of central and western Wisconsin, with one to four inches of wet snow expected. Affected areas include Tomah, Black River Falls and Arcadia.
Milwaukee, and areas further south like Janesville and Kenosha, are expected to see mostly rain, possibly with some snow mixed in.
The big question is whether surface temperatures will be close enough to freezing to get snowflakes on the ground, Heeren said.
“Right now, it’s looking more like we’re going to see that mix of rain and snow than the pure snow that we were hoping for yesterday,” she said.
The wintry mix should turn back to rain by the afternoon, when temperatures will warm up to about 40 degrees.
Slushy snow can make for dangerous driving conditions
Roads can become slippery in the type of slushy snow that’s expected to fall, especially on untreated and elevated surfaces, the NWS warns.
“We’re mainly concerned with overpasses and areas that see those heavier snowfall rates, as opposed to a widespread concern for traffic,” Heeren said.
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation provides these tips for driving in slippery winter conditions:
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Use caution on bridge decks and overpasses, which can be especially slippery.
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Most winter crashes and slide-offs are caused by drivers going too fast for the conditions. Remember that posted speed limits apply to ideal conditions.
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Sudden braking can cause you to lose control of your vehicle. Use brakes early and carefully.
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Never use cruise control in wintry weather.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin weather forecast; wintry mix could bring slippery roads
