textproduct: La Crosse

KEY MESSAGES

- Cooler temperatures, light winds, and mostly clear skies have resulted in a Frost Advisory for portions of central Wisconsin for tonight.

- Mild and dry conditions through Monday with high temperatures generally in the mid 50s to mid 60s. Temperatures warm up next week with highs getting into the 80s by the end of the week.

- Widespread rain and thunderstorm chances (40 to 70%) return Monday night into Tuesday.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 141 PM CDT Sat May 9 2026

Today-Monday: Mild and Mostly Dry

A longwave trough continues to influence the area into early next week. Shortwave ridging comes over the area on Monday. PWATs show how dry it is as they stay in the 0.2 to 0.35" range. Despite the region being in northwest flow, with how dry the atmosphere is there is little to no chance of rain through Monday. While being under the trough, cooler air continues. High temperatures stay mostly in the mid 50s to mid 60s. Overnight lows range from the low to mid 30s. As a result of the cooler temperatures, light overnight winds, and mostly clear skies frost headlines are out for areas along and north of I-94. If cooler temperatures occur due to the clearer skies and lighter winds, more counties may be added to the frost advisory. Similar conditions are expected Sunday night over more of the CWA which means that more frost and freeze headlines are likely for Sunday night.

Tuesday-Saturday: Periodic Rain Chances and Warmer Temperatures

The longwave trough shifts off to the east and ridging pushes into the region for the rest of the next week. Ensembles favor this solution as most ensemble clusters show either a ridge or a zonal pattern over the area into next weekend. Prior to this shift, a shortwave moves through the Upper Midwest Tuesday increasing rain and thunderstorms chances (40 to 70%). With how fast this system passes through, not much rain is expected with it. The latest LREF 25th to 75th 24 hour QPF percentiles have roughly 0.05" to 0.4" possible with the higher amounts in Wisconsin. As the ridge builds in, little to no rain chances occur for midweek. The next rain chance looks to be on Friday as a wave moves up into the Upper Midwest.

Warm air advection pushes into the Upper Midwest for much of next week. Aside from Wednesday which is cooler due to some cold air advection behind the shortwave from Tuesday, temperatures warm up into the 70s for Tuesday and Thursday with 80s entering the frame for Friday and Saturday.

AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SUNDAY/

Issued at 1221 PM CDT Sat May 9 2026

VFR conditions through the TAF period. Northwest winds this afternoon will be sustained at 15 to 20 mph with gusts of 25 to 30 mph possible. These winds diminish during the evening and overnight. Northwest winds begin to increase late Sunday morning. Some mid level clouds between 6kft and 10kft arrive for Sunday morning.

ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

WI...Frost Advisory from 3 AM to 8 AM CDT Sunday for WIZ017-029-034- 042>044. MN...None. IA...None.