The latest significant March snowstorm is forecast Friday night through Saturday for Milwaukee and a large portion of Wisconsin, with the heaviest snow forecast along the lakeshore counties.
A winter storm warning is in effect for southeast Wisconsin counties until 4 p.m. Saturday, and a winter weather advisory for the surrounding counties, according to the National Weather Service.
Follow our live coverage for weather updates across the state this weekend.
Milwaukee County deputies helping more than a dozen disabled vehicles
Milwaukee County Sheriff’s deputies have responded to 23 weather-related incidents on freeways since 3 a.m. Saturday. These include 17 vehicles that got stuck in the snow or slid off the road, five crashes with no injuries reported and one crash with injuries.
Seven of the 23 incidents came in a single hour from 8 to 9 a.m.
Sheriff’s Office spokesperson James Burnett urged drivers to stay off the roads. If driving, keep as much distance between other cars as possible. Snow-slicked roads can require as much as 600 feet of lead time to brake.
“Tailgating is a bad idea in perfect weather,” he said. “It’s exponentially worse on days like this.”
Partial closure of Interstate-894 reported
Two lanes of westbound Interstate-894 near Loomis Road were closed Saturday morning because of a crash involving a jackknifed truck.
The state Department of Transportation said around 9 a.m. that the closure is expected to last about two hours.
Saturday’s snow storm has caused crashes and hazardous road conditions across the eastern portion of the state and in the Madison area. Drivers are urged to stay off the road if possible.
DPW crews battling snow since 4 a.m.
Milwaukee street clearing crews have been out plowing and salting the streets since 4 a.m. Saturday.
“This fast, heavy wet snow is challenging to manage so your patience is greatly appreciated,” the city’s public works department tweeted, noting that staff are still completing clean-up from the last storm that yielded more than 2,300 calls.
The DPW asked residents to report trees or large limbs that pose an imminent public danger by calling 414-286-2459.
Other fallen trees can be reported online at city.milwaukee.gov/dpwservices/Services. Pictures are encouraged to help determine the priority level.
Some areas of Wisconsin have already seen more than 8 inches of snow
Snowfall totals so far range from 5 to 8 inches across Wisconsin, with some early morning hours bringing 2 to 3 inches per hour, according to the National Weather Service.
As of 8 a.m. Saturday, snowfall reports showed:
Mitchell International Airport: 5.4 inches
Racine: 5.5 inches.
National Weather Service office in Sullivan: 4.7 inches.
Dane County Regional Airport: 7.1 inches.
Oregon: 8 inches.
Mount Horeb: 8.2 inches.
South of Janesville: 6.3 inches
The forecast is still calling for the peak of snowfall rates to continue for another hour or two and then begin tapering off, meteorologist Taylor Patterson said.
There is some drier air working into the south of Wisconsin, so Walworth, Racine and Milwaukee counties may see a break in the snow later today with some lighter snow picking up afterward.
Winter storm warning extended north to Green Bay
The National Weather Service has extended the winter storm warning again Saturday morning, this time to include all of eastern Wisconsin from Green Bay on the north to Madison and Janesville in the south.
Few without power but the number may grow
Despite some areas of Wisconsin receiving seven inches of snow already on early Saturday, there were few power outages reported.
The We Energies online outage map showed nearly 1,000 people without power.
Madison Gas & Electric reported just two customers affected on their map, as of 7:45 a.m. Saturday.
Interstates snow-covered throughout southeastern Wisconsin
Several inches of wet, heavy snow again blanketed Wisconsin in an overnight storm.
Interstates across the eastern portion of the state were downgraded to slower driving conditions, according to the state Department of Transportation. There was at least one closure, around I-41 and US 45 North at Mayfair Road, because of the crash.
Transportation officials are encouraging people to stay off the road until the storm ends, which is forecasted to be sometime Saturday afternoon.
Winter storm warning extended to Ozaukee and Dane Counties
The National Weather Service extended the winter storm warning as far north as Ozaukee County and as far west as Dane County early Saturday morning. Those areas are now expected to get as much as 9 inches of snow before the storm wraps up this afternoon.
How much snow are we getting in Wisconsin?
Six to 10 inches could fall in southeast Wisconsin with lower amounts elsewhere. Milwaukee, Walworth, Kenosha and Racine and Walworth counties are under the winter storm warning.
The Fox Valley could see between 2 to 4 inches. Oshkosh, Appleton, Green Bay and Manitowoc all could see up to 4 inches of snow.
The snow across the state is expected to be heavy and wet.
When will it start snowing in Wisconsin?
Snow is expected to begin Friday night and last until Saturday afternoon. The peak period for most of the state will be from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday.
National Weather Service Wisconsin weather radar
