textproduct: La Crosse

KEY MESSAGES

- Cool for the remainder of the week with a few passing rounds of sprinkles.

- The risk for frost expands southward through the latter part of the week with near to below sub-freezing temperatures expected for much of the area Friday and Saturday mornings.

- Warming back up to near average for the weekend.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 1200 PM CDT Tue Apr 28 2026

Rest of the Week: Cool and Drier

Broad longwave troughing with multiple embedded shortwaves resides over the north-central U.S. through the remainder of the week, keeping a continued fetch of polar air in place and temperatures roughly 10 degrees below normal. Several of these aforementioned undulations bring short rounds of clouds and light showers, the first passing through tonight and the second during the afternoon on Wednesday. The potential for light showers dot the forecast for the rest of the week, but given the weakness of the forcing, it is tough to pin down any further specifics other than they will be quite light and of little to no impact.

The risk for any frost tonight should be minimal given the passing mid to high clouds from our first shortwave, with the potential for frost and subfreezing temperatures spreading southward for the rest of the week. Lows for early Friday and Saturday mornings will likely necessitate widespread frost/freeze headlines for the region.

Warming up for the Weekend

The pattern shifts for the upcoming weekend, allowing for a Pacific airmass to build in and temperatures to creep closer to normal. However, a look into next week shows some signal for a return to below normal temperatures (highs in the 50s), but with the region lingering on the inflection point between the longwave trough and ridge, there is modest spread between the various ensemble groups and no strong consensus on how temperatures will unfold at this point.

AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z WEDNESDAY/

Issued at 1200 PM CDT Tue Apr 28 2026

VFR conditions are forecast for the TAF period with winds from the northwest at 10-15 kts this afternoon, decreasing to around 5 kts or less overnight and increasing to 10-15 kts again for by midday tomorrow. A few periods of light showers are possible tonight and again Wednesday afternoon, but impacts to aviation look to be little to none.

ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

WI...None. MN...None. IA...None.