Dangerously cold conditions Friday

• Wind chills 30 to 40 below
• Wind gusts near 40 mph
• Blowing snow could create tough travel

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - More First Alert Weather Days today and tomorrow as our focus shifts to dangerously cold conditions and tough travel with blowing snow. We’re waking up to brutal wind chills this morning, most of southern Wisconsin feeling like 30 to nearly 40 below zero. With wind chills this cold, frostbite can form in under 10 minutes. Try to limit the time you’re spending outside today if you can, and remember to keep your pets safe as well! Wind chills will remain at about 20 below through the rest of the day.

Though most of the snow has wrapped up, we will likely start the day off dry with wrap-around snow showers developing through the afternoon and evening. Don’t be fooled by the fact that there may not be a lot of snow falling. Strong winds of 30-50 mph will remain through the day Friday creating considerable blowing and drifting of snow. Travel will be discouraged and could be not possible as some of the worst conditions of the storm move in.

Not much improvement as we head into the overnight hours as snow showers remain possible. While additional accumulation will be light, the winds will continue to blow 30-40 mph with blowing and drifting snow. Wind chill values will also be around -30 degrees creating dangerous conditions.

Saturday will start off messy with difficult travel. Winds will still be gusty to around 30 mph. This will lead to continued blowing and drifting snow. While travel will be difficult early, there should be a slight improvement later in the day. Temperatures will be in the single digits with wind chills remaining around -20.

Winds start to calm down and the worst of the storm will be done with. Driving will still be difficult, and it will still be very cold with lows below zero and wind chill values double digits below zero.

Mostly sunny and calm conditions return. Still cold as highs will only be into the single digits and wind chill values below zero. Southern Wisconsin will start to dig out and clean up from a major winter storm as roadways improve.

Copyright 2022 WMTV. All rights reserved.