595
FXUS63 KARX 102003
AFDARX

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service La Crosse WI
203 PM CST Wed Dec 10 2025

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Light snow showers and flurries are expected throughout the
  afternoon. Accumulations will be light, generally only a
  dusting to a few tenths of an inch, but visibility will likely
  be reduced in heavier snow.

- Next shot at accumulating snowfall comes Thursday afternoon
  and overnight, generally southwest of a line from Rochester,
  MN to Rockford, IL. Amounts up to 3 inches are possible
  (20-40%), highest over northeast Iowa.

- Temperatures are on the decrease through the rest of the week,
  with highs on Saturday and Sunday struggling to climb out of
  the single digits. Wind chills of -25F to -35F are possible
  Saturday and Sunday morning.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 203 PM CST Wed Dec 10 2025

Light Snow Showers and Flurries This Afternoon

Through the rest of the afternoon into this evening, flurries
to light snow showers are expected as a subtle 700hPa shortwave
trough and steepened mid-level lapse rates of 6.5-7.5C/km
coinciding with the DGZ continue shifting southeast through the
region. The deepest moisture and steepest lapse rates are
depicted along and west of the Mississippi River, so confidence
in snow is highest over these areas, but can`t rule out some
flurries across Wisconsin with forcing from the aforementioned
wave combined with low level moisture over the region.

Additional accumulations from any snowfall today are expected
to be light, generally only a dusting to a few tenths of an
inch, but visibility will likley be reduced within snowfall,
as low as 1-2 miles in the heaviest showers per observations
over central Minnesota earlier today. Potential for snow ends
northwest to southeast this evening, fully exiting the region
around 9pm, allowing for a dry period tonight through Thursday
morning.

Accumulating Snowfall Potential Thursday

A 700hPa shortwave trough moves southeast into the northern
Great Plains Thursday which combined with a band of 850-700hPa
frontogenesis associated with the wave should promote a period
of accumulating snowfall across the Midwest. Owing to the
frontogenetic forcing, a fairly narrow band of snow is expected.

Ensemble guidance has been trending the axis of snowfall to the
southwest over the past 24 hours, with the 10.12z GEFS/EPS in
agreement that this axis develops generally southwest of a line
from Rochester, MN to Rockford, IL. 10.00z LREF cluster analysis
also indicates a southwest solution is favored but does suggest
low potential for northeast shift as roughly 25% of the 10.00z
LREF members indicating this outcome owing to some northeast
outliers in the 10.06z GEFS/EPS. However, the majority of the
members suggest the most probable scenario is the bulk of the
accumulating snowfall occurs southwest of our area. Regarding
amounts, probabilities have been decreasing across our area,
with 10-30% for 3+" depicted in the 10.12z GEFS/EPS assuming a
10:1 ratio. When adjusted for expected snow ratios of 15:1,
these probabilities will more likely end up around 20-40%.

As this initial wave moves out of the region, another weak
shortwave moves through the mean flow Friday morning, leading to
additional snowfall potential (30-50%) along and north of I-90.
With little available moisture, amounts are expected to be
light, generally only a few tenths of an inch.

Cold Temperatures This Weekend

Ensemble guidance continues to depict very cold temperatures
moving into the region this weekend under northwest flow and
strong high pressure building into the central United States.
The coldest temperatures are favored Saturday morning and Sunday
morning when temperatures fall into the single to double digits
below zero. There is some variation in the 25th-75th percentile
spread of the 10.13z NBM on Saturday owing to uncertainty with
cloud coverage, but clearing skies are expected overnight
Saturday into Sunday with little variation in the 25th-75th
during this period. Apparent temperatures continue to be
depicted between -25F and -35F both mornings.

&&

.AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY/...
Issued at 1126 AM CST Wed Dec 10 2025

Band of snow sagging southeast through central Minnesota at
10.18Z TAF issuance creates immediate term aviation impact
concerns with TEMPO IFR visibilities within the heaviest
snowfall of the transient band.

A short reprieve in MVFR-IFR ceilings possible through Thursday
morning before subsequent snowfall chances progress southeast,
primarily affecting airports west of the Mississippi River
locally in southeast Minnesota and northeast Iowa. Therefore,
KRST TAF site will likely be impacted Thursday
afternoon/evening.

&&

.ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WI...None.
MN...None.
IA...None.

&&

$$

DISCUSSION...Falkinham
AVIATION...Cecava