MILWAUKEE - Southern Wisconsin is getting a brief taste of wintry weather Wednesday, but the bigger story may arrive this weekend as we track a developing storm system with the potential to bring accumulating snow.
Wednesday weather
What we know:
A narrow band of snow is moving across southern Wisconsin Wednesday and snowfall rates may briefly reach a quarter to a half inch per hour as it passes through.
Most communities will see slushy accumulations around a half inch, with isolated totals approaching one inch before the snow tapers through Wednesday evening.
Another strong low pressure system is expected to sweep through the Midwest Thursday night into Friday. Warmer air surging north ahead of the system will likely turn most of the precipitation into rain across southern Wisconsin, though a few snow showers may linger on the backside of the storm early Friday.
Accumulation from that system appears limited for now.
Eyes turn to the weekend
What's next:
The forecast becomes more interesting heading into the weekend.
Another storm system is expected to develop and move into the region Saturday into Sunday. Forecast models agree that precipitation will be widespread, but there is still significant uncertainty regarding storm track and precipitation type.
A colder track, with the storm moving through Illinois and northern Indiana, could place southern Wisconsin on the colder northwest side of the system and would favor mostly snow and potentially heavier snowfall bands.
If the storm tracks farther north, warmer air could mix in rain or a wintry mix.
Because of these track differences, snowfall potential remains uncertain, but the setup suggests the possibility of a more significant snow event if the colder scenario verifies.
Dig deeper:
The bulk of the weekend precipitation would likely occur Saturday night through Sunday, with snow gradually tapering Sunday night as the system exits the region.
For now, confidence is high that we will see precipitation this weekend, but far lower when it comes to the exact mix and snowfall totals. The next couple of days will be critical in determining whether Wisconsin sees a minor nuisance snowfall or a more impactful late-season storm.
The Source: The information in this post was provided by the FOX6 Weather Experts and NWS Sullivan.