In what will likely be the first real test of winter-readiness, and with timing particularly challenging for holiday travelers, a significant winter storm is positioned to hit Wisconsin beginning early Saturday morning. For many southeastern Wisconsin counties including Sheboygan, that has prompted the National Weather Service to issue a Winter Storm Warning in effect from 6 AM Saturday until 6 AM Sunday. The remainder of southern counties will have an earlier start time of 3 AM. Throughout southern Wisconsin, snowfalls of 6-11 inches of snow are expected in general, while Lake Michigan has the potential to kick snow production into higher gear for lakeshore counties.
Travel is likely to get slippery by sunup Saturday with accumulation rates increasing to between one-quarter and one-half inch per hour by 10 AM, and to between one-half and one-inch per hour rates by noon. That window of greatest impact lasts until 9 PM Saturday.
For the City of Sheboygan, a low-end forecast is 7”, but the expected amount of 9” is given over an 80% chance of materializing. And if Lake Michigan moisture mixes in just so, then a top-end forecast of 19” is given a chance, albeit with only around 20% odds.
NWS Graphic
Snow is expected to taper off early on Sunday, but areas of light snow, blowing snow, and slick spots will linger until around noon. Afterwards, very cold air will build into the area and, with a fresh, deep snowpack, lows by Monday are expected to drop into the single digits to around zero, followed by a high limited to the teens.
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