textproduct: La Crosse

KEY MESSAGES

- Very Cold This Weekend. Wind chills of 15 to 35 below.

- Primarily near to above-normal temperatures next week.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 1157 AM CST Fri Dec 12 2025

Tonight and Saturday morning

The 12.12z global models are in general agreement that a shortwave trough will move southeast across southwest Minnesota and Iowa on Saturday. This system will produce a band of snow across southern Minnesota, Iowa, northern Illinois, and maybe southwest Wisconsin. Like the past couple of systems, the global models are further south of the CAMs. Considering the strength of the Arctic air and dryness of this air mass, leaning more toward the global models. As a result, only looking at a dusting to maybe a couple tenths of an inch in southeast Minnesota and southwest Wisconsin; and a dusting to maybe 1-inch in northeast Iowa. Further southwest and south, there will be a 2 to 4-inch band of snow.

Low temperatures tonight will range from 0 to 15 below and wind chills will range from 15 to 35 below. The coldest wind chills will be located in southeast Minnesota, and west-central, central, and north-central Wisconsin. These areas are currently under a Cold Weather Advisory from midnight to 10 AM Sunday morning.

Saturday night through Sunday night

The models are agreement that the coldest 925 mb temperatures of -21 to -24C will be located over the area late Saturday night and early Sunday morning. Low temperatures on Sunday morning will range from 10 to 20 below with wind chills of 25 to 35 below. The Cold Weather Advisory was expanded to cover northeast Iowa and southwest Wisconsin from 6 PM Saturday through 10 AM Sunday.

Strong warm air advection develops across the area on Sunday afternoon and evening as the Arctic high moves south of the area. This will likely result in the high temperature on Sunday occurring near midnight Sunday/Monday.

Wednesday night through Thursday

The models are general agreement that a cold front will move southeast through the region. There remains uncertainty on the amount of saturation ahead of this front. This impacts precipitation amounts. In addition, there is uncertainty on how far south the Arctic air might get during this time period.

AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SATURDAY/

Issued at 1101 AM CST Fri Dec 12 2025

IFR to MVFR cigs will prevail across the local area over the course of the afternoon with abundant low-level moisture in place. In addition, a band of light snow continues to move through the local area bringing MVFR to IFR vsby reductions along with them as they quickly move from west to east. Cannot rule out some freezing drizzle for a brief period during precipitation onset across western WI, however this will likely only last for about an hour at the most before switching to snow as cold air advection pushes saturation into the dendritic growth zone. Cigs will improve to VFR as cold air advection works in this evening with winds also increasing during the late afternoon from the west-northwest at around 15 kts with gusts up to around 25 kts.

ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

WI...Cold Weather Advisory from 6 PM Saturday to 10 AM CST Sunday for WIZ054-055-061. Cold Weather Advisory from midnight tonight to 10 AM CST Sunday for WIZ017-029-032>034-041>044-053. MN...Cold Weather Advisory from midnight tonight to 10 AM CST Sunday for MNZ079-086>088-094>096. IA...Cold Weather Advisory from 6 PM Saturday to 10 AM CST Sunday for IAZ008>011-018-019-029-030.