MILWAUKEE – Winter Storm Watches have been posted for SE WI for Tuesday, Jan. 9. The Winter Storm Watch begins Tuesday morning at 6 a.m. and ends Wednesday morning at 3 a.m.

Quick Facts:
Timing: Snow Starts after 11pm Monday and ends around 3am Wednesday.
Heaviest Time: All Day Tuesday
Snow Consistency: Very Heavy/Wet Snow
Snow Amounts: 5-9” away from the lake, 3-6″ closer to the lake.
Other Factors: Strong NE Winds. Temperatures Above Freezing. Possible Mix near the lake.

Snow is forecast to move in from the southwest around 12am on Tuesday. Snow will really pick up on Tuesday morning and continue throughout the day.

Snow will taper off during the overnight hours early Wednesday morning.

5-9″ of snow is likely away from the lake. IF we see a mix closer to the lake, that would result in lower totals the closer you get to Lake Michigan, possibly as low as 3″ along the lakeshore. The mix factor near the lake is unclear.

More Detail:
The exact track of the area of low pressure is critical to how much snow/mix we see in southeastern Wisconsin. As of this post, the most likely track is across northeastern Illinois on Tuesday. If this happens, it will bring the steadiest snow into SE WI. If the track moves 20 miles north, it could mean some drier air works into our region for a time on Tuesday afternoon/evening, lowering snow totals.

Another big factor will be a possible mix in lakeshore areas. This is still uncertain. A strong east wind is forecast to develop as the snow begins. The wind will become gusty out of the northeast during the day Tuesday. This could cause two different scenarios. Because lake water temperatures are around 40, the wind off of the lake could make lakeshore areas warmer, causing more of a mix instead of all snow. This would lower totals near the lake (as currently forecast). A second scenario is possible, however. As the wind shifts to the NE on Tuesday, it will be coming across a large part of the lake (and the lake is not icy at all). These winds, called a “fetch” off of the lake, could serve to enhance snow near the lake.

This will be a very wet/heavy snow. So you will need to use caution shoveling.

FOX6 Weather Extras

Meanwhile, FOX6Now.com offers a variety of extremely useful weather tools to help you navigate the stormy season. They include the following:

FOX6 Storm Center app

FOX6 News app

FOX Weather app

MAPS AND RADAR

We have a host of maps and radars on the FOX6 Weather page that are updating regularly — to provide you the most accurate assessment of the weather. From a county-by-county view to the Midwest regional radar and a national view — it’s all there.

SCHOOL AND BUSINESS CLOSINGS

When the weather gets a little dicey, schools and businesses may shut down. Monitor the latest list of closings, cancellations, and delays reported in southeast Wisconsin.

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