Weather Alert in Wisconsin

Recent Locations: Blue Earth, MN Waterloo, WI Mosinee, WI

Winter Storm Warning issued April 1 at 2:20PM CDT until April 2 at 12:00PM CDT by NWS Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN

AREAS AFFECTED: Polk; Barron; Rusk; St. Croix; Pierce; Dunn; Pepin

DESCRIPTION: ...MESSY SPRING SYSTEM BRINGS FREEZING RAIN, SLEET, AND SNOWTO PORTIONS OF MINNESOTA AND WISCONSIN TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY... .A powerful spring weather system will bring widespread precipitation to the region beginning tonight and lingering through Thursday, with areas of wet snow, freezing rain, sleet, and rain all expected depending on timing and location. Western and central Minnesota will experience mainly slushy wet snow with accumulations of 2 to 4 inches, meanwhile rain is favored in southern and southeastern Minnesota. In between the snow and rain, a messy wintry mix of sleet and freezing rain will result in ice accumulations and slippery travel. There is still a moderate degree of uncertainty regarding ice accumulation amounts, due to temperatures being very close to freezing and a fluctuation of only a degree or two likely having a large impact on final amounts. The greatest impacts from icing and freezing rain will occur over western Wisconsin and portions of east-central to southwestern Minnesota, with accumulations up to a quarter inch in Minnesota and a few tenths of an inch in Wisconsin. Power outages are possible due to icing of power lines in addition to gusty winds, and slippery to impossible travel will occur where ice accumulates. Slow travel from wet slushy snow is expected in western and central Minnesota. * WHAT...Heavy mixed precipitation expected. Total snow accumulations up to one inch, sleet accumulations around three quarters of an inch, and ice accumulations around one quarter of an inch. Winds gusting as high as 30 mph. * WHERE...Barron, Polk, Rusk, Dunn, Pepin, Pierce, and St. Croix Counties. * WHEN...From midnight tonight to noon CDT Thursday. * IMPACTS...Roads, and especially bridges and overpasses, will likely become slick and hazardous. Significant ice accumulation on power lines and tree limbs may cause widespread and long-lasting power outages. Power outages and tree damage are likely due to the ice. Travel could be nearly impossible. The hazardous conditions will impact the Thursday morning commute.

INSTRUCTION: If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency. Call 5 1 1 or visit 511wi.gov for road conditions. Persons should consider delaying all travel. If travel is absolutely necessary, drive with extreme caution. Consider taking a winter storm kit along with you, including such items as tire chains, booster cables, flashlight, shovel, blankets and extra clothing. Also take water, a first aid kit, and anything else that would help you survive in case you become stranded.

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Weather Topic: What are Cirrostratus Clouds?

Home - Education - Cloud Types - Cirrostratus Clouds

Next Topic: Cirrus Clouds

Cirrostratus clouds are high, thin clouds that form above 20,000 feet and are made mostly of ice crystals. They sometimes look like giant feathers, horse tails, or curls of hair in the sky. These clouds are pushed by the jet stream and can move at high speeds reaching 100 mph.

What do they indicate?
They indicate that a precipitation is likely within 24 hours.

Next Topic: Cirrus Clouds

Weather Topic: What is Condensation?

Home - Education - Precipitation - Condensation

Next Topic: Contrails

Condensation is the process which creates clouds, and therefore it is a crucial process in the water cycle. Condensation is the change of matter from a state of gas into a state of liquid, and it happens because water molecules release heat into the atmosphere and become organized into a more closely packed structure, what we might see as water droplets.

Water is always present in the air around us as a vapor, but it's too small for us to see. When water undergoes the process of condensation it becomes organized into visible water droplets. You've probably seen condensation happen before on the surface of a cold drink!

Next Topic: Contrails