textproduct: La Crosse

KEY MESSAGES

- The first of two winter storms will exit the area this morning. This system will produce heavy snow across all or parts on Taylor and Clark counties. In addition to this, there will be very strong wind gusts of 50 to 65 mph this morning. The strongest winds will be from 3 am through 7 am.

- Storm #2: A potentially historic winter storm will likely impact the area from Saturday night into Monday morning. A widespread swath of 12-18+ inches of snow is looking more likely in the forecast area. The highest totals currently look to be along and north of Interstate 94. Strong winds on Sunday afternoon and night could lead to blizzard conditions and localized tree and power line damage.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 154 AM CDT Fri Mar 13 2026

This Morning - Strong Winds

A 987 mb surface low, currently over northwest Wisconsin, will move east southeast into northern Lower Michigan today and gradually fill. In the High Wind Warning areas of northeast Iowa, southeast Minnesota, and southwest Wisconsin, the soundings continue to show 50 to 65 knot winds at the top of the mixed layer. There continues to be very steep lapse rates (9-10 C/km) in the mixed layer in addition strong cold air advection. This will likely result in wind gusts of 55 to 65 mph. In the Wind Advisory area, the winds at the top of the mixed layer range from 40 to 50 knots. Like the High Wind Warning area, there will be strong lapse rates and cold air advection. This will likely result in wind gusts of 45 to 60 mph. The strongest winds and gusts for the entire area will likely occur between 3 am and 7 am.

Like the past couple of nights the NBM sustained winds and wind gusts are on the low side, so used a 50 50 blend of the NBM 90th percentile and the HRRR. This resulted in High Wind Warning winds in northeast Iowa, southeast Minnesota, and southwest Wisconsin, and Wind Advisory winds for the remainder of the area.

A band of snow extending northwest into eastern North Dakota will continue to persist across Taylor and northern Clark counties into Friday morning. Snow totals in Taylor County will likely range from 4 to 10 inches. The highest totals will be in the northeast part of the county. Clark County will likely see anywhere from 1 to 6 inches with the highest totals being in the northern and eastern part of the county.

Toward day break and early Friday morning, the low will move southeast through the area. With steep low level lapse rates and strong winds aloft, we may see some snow squalls. At this time, the impacts from these potential squalls is somewhat covered by the High Wind Warning/Wind Advisory.

Saturday night into Monday Morning - Major Winter Storm Likely in the Region

The deterministic models are general agreement that a strengthening surface low will track east across eastern Nebraska and Iowa on Sunday. This results in a west-east snow band along the Interstate 90 and 94 corridors on Saturday night and Sunday morning. There has been a slight northward shift in the heaviest snow with the heaviest snow more centered on Interstate 94. Just south of this band, there are indications for a band of sleet.

From Sunday afternoon into Monday morning, the surface low tracks tracks northeast into Lower Michigan. This results in a southwest to northeast pivot. In addition, a deformation band develops. This will prolong the snow over the area longer. The NBM v5.0 has the probabilities of a foot or greater of snow from 60 to 94 percent north on Austin Minnesota to the Wisconsin Dells line. The highest probabilities is along and north of Interstate 94. The probabilities for 18 inches or more ranges from 40 to 80 percent north of Interstate 94. Again the highest probabilities are along and north of Interstate 94.

The winds increase into the 40 to 50 mph range across southeast Minnesota and northeast Iowa on Sunday afternoon and they continue into Sunday night. This could potentially result in Blizzard conditions.

AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z SATURDAY/

Issued at 522 AM CDT Fri Mar 13 2026

Snow showers with potential to reduce visibility under 1 mile are the main concern in the immediate term and through this afternoon. These snow showers are currently affecting an axis around RGK to ONA and are sliding to the east-southeast. These are expected to slip north of LSE and move over BCK and potentially CMY. Moving ahead to the daytime and afternoon hours, additional snow showers may develop but the area at risk will slowly shift eastward as the day goes on and mainly be confined to areas east of an EAU-82C line after 18z. Strong west-northwesterly winds are also ongoing at issuance time with gusts over 50 knots seen at RST/9MN/FKA. Core of strongest winds will shift southeast and affect NE IA and far SW WI but areawide gusts above 40 kts are expected. Winds will peak before 15z before slowly decreasing through the day. As for ceilings, widespread MVFR conditions will give way to VFR this afternoon as cloud cover decreases and heights rise. Moving ahead beyond the current period, widespread disruption with LIFR conditions is increasingly probable to occur after 00z Sunday into perhaps as late as 12z Monday due to heavy snow and blowing snow.

ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

WI...Winter Storm Watch from Saturday evening through Monday afternoon for WIZ017-029-032>034-041>044-053>055-061. Winter Storm Warning until 1 PM CDT this afternoon for WIZ017. Wind Advisory until 1 PM CDT this afternoon for WIZ017-029- 032>034-041>044. Winter Weather Advisory until 1 PM CDT this afternoon for WIZ029. High Wind Warning until 1 PM CDT this afternoon for WIZ053>055- 061. MN...High Wind Warning until 10 AM CDT this morning for MNZ079- 086>088-094>096. Winter Storm Watch from Saturday evening through Monday afternoon for MNZ079-086>088-094>096. IA...High Wind Warning until 10 AM CDT this morning for IAZ008>011- 018-019-029-030. Winter Storm Watch from Saturday evening through Monday afternoon for IAZ008>011-018-019-029-030.