Prolonged rain Tuesday, followed by snow on Wednesday across southern Wisconsin

Yahoo

04-03-2025

Prolonged precipitation is expected across Wisconsin all day Tuesday into Wednesday evening.
Moderate-to-heavy rain is in the forecast across the southern two-thirds of Wisconsin, including in the Milwaukee area. Meanwhile, most communities in the northern third of the state will be under a Winter Storm Warning or Winter Weather Advisory.
In the Milwaukee area, scattered to isolated showers are possible throughout Tuesday morning before rain ramps up in the mid-to-late afternoon, said Milwaukee-Sullivan National Weather Service meteorologist Benjamin Sheppard. About 1-to-2 inches of rain is expected across southern Wisconsin before transitioning to snow beginning mid-morning on Wednesday.
In Milwaukee, 1-to-1.5 inches of rain is in the forecast, with greater totals northwest of the city. Peak rainfall will begin earlier further west.
"We expect a prolonged moderate rainfall event, with maybe some brief periods of heavy rain," Sheppard said. "So, in general, it's not that heavy. But, the caveat is that there is a deep layer of frost in the soil, and that's going to make it difficult for the soil to absorb the water like it normally would."
"As a result, we do expect some 'ponding' of the water and potentially a few rivers to reach the bankfull or even potentially minor flood stage. Generally, we don't expect that to be too impactful, just more of a nuisance."
Around Milwaukee, rain is expected to transition over to snow in the early-to-mid afternoon on Wednesday, Sheppard said. This change-over will move northwest to southeast across the state, meaning snow is slated to start in the mid-morning in the Wisconsin Dells area and around noon in Madison.
Snow accumulation is unlikely in Milwaukee, Sheppard said; only about a "trace" to 0.2 inches is expected in the area. There is about a 25% chance for more than 2 inches of snow in the Madison area and an over 60% chance near Wisconsin Dells. Snowfall will taper off from northwest to southeast, leaving most parts of the state dry by Wednesday evening, Sheppard said.
Additionally, 20-25 mph winds, with gusts up to 40 mph, are slated to begin around noon on Wednesday in the region and last through early Thursday morning.
"These gusts on their own are not going to be particularly impactful, but for areas northwest of Madison ― where you have the better potential for some light snow accumulations ― if you combine that slushy, wet snow with the winds, that could lead to some hazardous travel conditions, especially for high-profile vehicles," Sheppard explained.
A Winter Storm Warning and a Winter Weather Advisory are in effect across northwestern and north-central Wisconsin. Areas under the warning could see between 4 and 10 inches of snow, Sheppard said. It is possible for some rain to mix in at times in these regions, but it is mainly expected to be a snow event.
More information about counties affected by the warning or advisory, as well as when they are in effect, can be found using the interactive map below.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Prolonged rain Tuesday, snow Wednesday in Milwaukee's forecast