Winter storm could drop a foot of snow in northwest Wisconsin on Tuesday night, NWS says

A winter storm will sweep northern Wisconsin starting the evening of Tuesday, Nov. 25, according to the Duluth National Weather Service office.

On Monday, the local NWS office issued a winter storm warning for a range of northwest Wisconsin counties from Tuesday evening to early Thursday morning. Douglas, Bayfield, Ashland and Iron counties are among those included in the warning.

Though the storm is “pretty typical” for northern Wisconsin in late fall, warm water temperatures in Lake Superior will likely lead to some heavy lake-effect snow this week, according to NWS meteorologist Joe Moore.

Bayfield and Ashland counties will see at least one foot of snow, and Iron County could see up to two feet, Moore said. The storm will be heaviest overnight on Tuesday and should wrap up by Wednesday night — just in time for one of the busiest Thanksgiving travel periods.

“Anyone that needs to travel Tuesday night maybe reconsider those plans,” Moore said. “Travel during the day Tuesday and Wednesday may not be too bad, especially outside the snow belt region.”

This week’s storm will come on the heels of a record warm day in the area: on Monday, the local NWS office logged its warmest-ever temperature for Nov. 24 at the Duluth International Airport, Moore said. The high of 54 degrees beat the previous record of 53 degrees, per NWS data extending back to the 1850s.

“After the storm, it’s going to get pretty darn cold, with lows in the teens and single digits,” Moore said. “It’s going to feel like we’ve gone into winter pretty fast, in contrast to record warmth Monday.”

Here’s what else to know about the impending winter storm:

More: Stay up to date on Wisconsin’s winter weather with USA TODAY Network text message updates

See weather radar for Douglas County

What are NWS meteorologists saying?

As of 3 p.m. Nov. 24, the local NWS office has issued winter storm warnings for Douglas, Bayfield, Ashland and Iron counties. Find the full list of warnings here.

For Bayfield and Douglas counties, NWS issued the following warning at 2:16 p.m. Monday:

“Heavy snow is expected. Total snow accumulations are estimated between 8 and 14 inches, and could reach between 12 and 16 inches for northern Bayfield County. Winds gusting as high as 35 mph.

The warning applies to Bayfield and Douglas Counties. This includes the Tribal Lands of the Red Cliff Band. Other locations including the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore.

The warning is in effect from 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 24 to midnight Wednesday, Nov 25.

Travel could be very difficult to impossible. The hazardous conditions could impact the Wednesday morning and evening commutes.

A corridor of locally higher snowfall amounts are possible somewhere in the watch area. Blustery winds gusting up to 35 mph may result in areas of blowing and drifting snow.”

What to do in a winter storm

During a winter storm, NWS advises staying inside, stocking up on food and water and charging essential devices in case of power outages.

If you are without shelter, you can visit the 211 Wisconsin website or call 211 to locate nearby warming services.

find your shovels, make sure your vehicle is prepared and have supplies in case you get stuck; have some non perishable food or water in case there’s a pwoer outage

How to check Wisconsin road conditions

NWS advises against driving during a storm, as snow, sleet or ice can create dangerous driving conditions. For live updates on winter road conditions and accidents in Wisconsin, check out the 511 Wisconsin map.

If you must drive, here are some guidelines for navigating icy roads, according to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation:

Keep safe distances between snow plows and large trucks. Stay at least 200 feet behind any working plow to make sure your visibility isn’t obscured. Also keep a safe distance behind trucks on the highway, since pieces of snow or ice can fly off the top of commercial vehicles driving fast.
Clear snow and ice from your vehicle’s windows, roof, hood and front and rear lights. You can do this by warming up the car and then using a snow brush and ice scraper to clear the snow and ice.
Drive slowly, allowing extra travel time and leaving extra distance between vehicles.
Turn on your low-beam headlights. State law requires drivers to turn on their vehicle’s low-beam headlights any time weather or other conditions make it difficult to see objects 500 feet ahead, WisDOT says.
Use brakes early and carefully. With anti-lock-brakes, use firm, steady pressure and gently steer. Never use cruise control in winter weather.
Watch out for bridge decks and overpasses. These areas can be especially slippery when the roads ice over.