MILWAUKEE – A winter weather advisory has been issued for Dodge, Washington, Ozaukee, Fond du Lac, and Sheboygan Counties from 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 28 to 12 p.m. Monday, Dec. 29. 

Central and northern Wisconsin and surrounding areas in the Midwest are under a winter storm watch. 

Snow is expected to accumulate between 2″-4″ with isolated areas that could see more. Areas not in the advisory zone can still receive accumulating snow from 1″-3″ for most locations with a trace-2″ near the border and lake shore.

Precipitation will begin as a few spotty showers early Sunday morning with heavier rain near the Wisconsin-Illinois border by early Sunday afternoon. Some areas can have a dry slot early in the event, preventing precipitation from reaching the ground. As moisture increases near the surface, widespread rain is favorable during the late afternoon on Sunday through Sunday night. Very cold air will arrive on the backside of this system, transitioning from rain over to snow around 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday. 

Temperatures will be in the 40s for most of Sunday, which will keep precipitation as rain. Winds will shift out of the northwest during the afternoon, transporting cold air into southeast Wisconsin. This will change precipitation over to a short term wintry mix, then completely over to snow overnight. Cold air can quickly cause freezing of previously falling rain.

Sustained northwesterly winds can blow 20 to 30 mph with gusts of 40 to 45 mph. It is possible that a wind advisory may be needed if this high wind gust trend continues. Wind of this strength will cause lower visibility when snow falls. 

Strong winds can gust up to 40 mph as snow is falling. With falling temperatures, wind chills will be in the single digits to near zero by Monday morning. 

Plan on slippery road conditions that can impact holiday travel late Sunday into the Monday morning commute.