textproduct: La Crosse

KEY MESSAGES

- Record high temperatures possible on Monday

- Severe weather possible Monday night into Tuesday morning. Initial severe weather threat will be hail on Monday night and possibly severe winds on Tuesday morning.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 1248 PM CDT Sun Mar 29 2026

Monday - Record High Temperatures Possible

Southerly winds ahead of a cold front will raise the 850 mb temperatures into the 9 to 12C range north of Interstate 94 and between 12 and 18C across the remainder of the area. This will result in high temperatures ranging from the mid-60s to near 80 along and north of Interstate 94, and the from the mid-70s to lower 80s elsewhere. Used a 50-50 blend of the NBM and the NBM 90th to generate the maximum temperature grid. These temperatures will be close to the records for the day. Many of these records were set back in 1986.

Monday Night into Tuesday Morning - Severe Weather Possible?

As a surface low moves east northeast across southern Minnesota, low-level moisture will be drawn northward into the region. Surface dew points south of Interstate 90 will climb into the 50s during the evening. Westerly winds aloft will bring an elevated mixed layer into the region. This will steepen the mid-level lapse rates into the 7 to 8 C/km range. In addition, a low-level jet will enhance the 850 mb moisture transport into the region. This will result in the development of showers and storms ahead of the low pressure area.

As the low-level jet strengthens on Monday night the 1 to 6 km shear will lengthen the hodograph. This hodograph is straight- line and this could result in some elevated splitting supercells. The initial threat will be hail. With the soundings showing variability on the CAPE thickness, the size of the hail is still uncertain. As the cold pools coalesce, a line of storms will likely develop. This could pose a severe wind threat especially near and south of the warm front. There is still plenty of uncertainty on where this line will develop.

Wednesday Night into Thursday Night

A low pressure system will move east northeast along a frontal boundary to our south and southeast. The models continue to show that a deformation will develop to the north and northwest of this low pressure area. Just like yesterday, there is still plenty of uncertainty on how far north and northwest this precipitation will get. Soundings continue to indicate that the boundary-layer temperatures will be warm enough for this precipitation to be primarily rain.

Friday Night into Saturday

As a longwave trough moves east through the Plains, a cold front will move east through the region. Precipitable water values will be around 1-inch, so there will be plenty of showers and storms along this front. With both the 0-3 km and 0-6 km shear weak along and ahead of this front, not anticipating any severe weather with this front at this time.

AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z MONDAY/

Issued at 1205 PM CDT Sun Mar 29 2026

VFR conditions are expected to prevail at both RST/LSE taf sites through the taf period. Southerly winds will remain between 5 to 15 knots at both RST/LSE taf sites through the taf period.

CLIMATE

Monday Issued at 1248 PM CDT Sun Mar 29 2026

Southerly winds ahead of a cold front will raise the 850 mb temperatures into the 9 to 12C range north of Interstate 94 and between 12 and 18C across the remainder of the area. This will result in high temperatures ranging from the mid-60s to near 80 along and north of Interstate 94, and the from the mid-70s to lower 80s elsewhere. These temperatures will be close to the records for the day.

Record highs for March 30.

La Crosse, WI 80F in 1967 Rochester, MN 77F in 1910

ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

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