textproduct: La Crosse

KEY MESSAGES

- Low precipitation chances (20 to 40%) for Thursday as a cold front moves through the area.

- Fluctuating temperatures into the weekend with highs generally in the 50s and 60s except for today and Friday as highs stay in the 40s for those days.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 143 PM CDT Mon Mar 23 2026

Today Into the Upcoming Weekend: Mostly Dry with Fluctuating Temperatures

Zonal to northwest flow aloft will result in mostly quiet conditions across the region. The periods where precipitation could fall are tonight as a weak wave moves through. While there is a slight increase in PWATs, between 0.25 and 0.45", the sub-cloud layer remains very dry. Even if precipitation could form it would more than likely not reach the surface. Have put in some very low precipitation chances (less than 15%) for light rain or light snow showers. The next chance for precipitation is Thursday as a cold front passes through. A low amount of instability does build in early Thursday afternoon as MUCAPE values get up to 500 J/kg for portions of northeast Iowa and southwest Wisconsin, indicating that thunderstorms may be possible. Not much precipitation is expected as there is only a 50 to 70% chance of measurable precipitation and a 10 to 20% for greater than 0.05" according to the latest LREF. Other than these two precipitation chances, conditions look to be dry heading into the weekend.

Temperatures over this week will be going up and down, but staying near to above normal. Today and Friday (the day after the cold front moves through) will be the coolest days with highs in the low to mid 40s. High get into the low to mid 50s for Tuesday and increase to the mid 50s to upper 60s for Wednesday and Thursday. After the cool Friday, temperatures rise back into the 50s and low 60s for the weekend.

AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z TUESDAY/

Issued at 1217 PM CDT Mon Mar 23 2026

VFR conditions are expected to continue over the next 24 hours. Winds, variable but generally out of the north at issuance time, will become out of the south this afternoon and out of the southwest after 06z Tuesday.

HYDROLOGY

Issued at 1250 PM CDT Sun Mar 22 2026

Snowmelt has led to rises on area rivers and streams over the past week due to the 1 to 2 feet of snow that occurred a week ago. The basins that have seen the highest rises are the Black and Yellow River basins. Some gages have reached or are forecasted to reach Minor Flood stage with a few more hitting Action stage. Minimal precipitation is expected through the rest of the week so there will not be a lot of additional water to add to these basins.

ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

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