Live updates: Power lines downed, thousands lose power as major winter storm hits southeast Wisconsin (2024)

Southeast Wisconsin is experiencing another severe winter storm.

Lakeside locations should see more snow as we head into the evening and overnight as the wind shifts more out of the north. Blizzard conditions are likely in the countryside, especially north and far away from the lake, where the snow isn't quite as wet.

Additional accumulations will be around 2-4 inches tonight, and we could see another inch of snow showers on Saturday. Total snow will range from 12-15" for near inland spots, to 8-12" farther west and closer to the lake, to 4-8" lakeside. See the latest Storm Team 4Cast here.

Check back on this page often for live updates on road conditions, power outages, and much more:

9:00 p.m. Update: Warming shelters are opening across the area Saturday night.

As temperatures dip and as widespread power outages continue to affect thousands across the region, warming shelters are being opened. The City of Milwaukee's Health Department said Saturday that North Division High School has been designated as an Emergency Shelter and is now accessible to the public. There are also several warming shelters position throughout the city to help people seek refuge from harsh conditions. You can call 211 or click HERE to learn more about warming centers.

The Waukesha County Expo Center has been designated as a warming site for those looking to seek shelter while crews work to restore power to homes. That shelter opened Saturday at 4:00 p.m.

In Hales Corners, there is a warming shelter established at Village Hall. And, in Grafton, a Warming Shelter has been established at Grafton High School, according to that city's police department.

5:45 p.m. Update: City of Milwaukee declares a Snow Emergency

The City of Milwaukee Department of Public Works (DPW) declared a Snow Emergency Saturday night. That means there's no parking allowed on main streets from 10 p.m. Saturday until 6 a.m. Sunday. Alternate side parking is also required on side streets during that time. DPW advises drivers to check posted street signs. Residents can call 414-286-CITY or click HERE for more information.

DPW officials say designated Milwaukee Public Schools lots will be available for off-street parking beginning January 13 at 7 p.m. All vehicles must be moved from MPS lots by 7 a.m. the following morning. You can click HERE for a list of parking lot locations.

8:22 Update: A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect until 12PM

Winter Weather Advisory thru Noon Saturday
Blowing & drifting snow will create reduced visibility & tricky road conditions. We're also seeing some light-moderate snow showers. #wiwx @tmj4 pic.twitter.com/NoE26qwLaQ

— Brendan Johnson (@WxBrendan) January 13, 2024

6:45a update: Up to a foot of snow in some places, road conditions poor
Viewer Mary O'Hara sent us this picture of her "official" trash can snow measurement. Just like her much of the area saw nearly a foot of snow, or more, over night.

That has created some poor road conditions this morning. Check out Sydni Eure's live report from Saturday morning in Waukesha:

Messy road conditions Saturday morning after heavy overnight snow

Winter hasn't released her grip yet — now that the snow is wrapping up, you can expect some bitter cold temperatures. Brendan Johnson has the complete Storm Team 4Cast:

Southeast Wisconsin Weather: snow keeps blowing after nearly a foot overnight.

10:30p: Over 120 calls for service on Milwaukee County roads

Milwaukee County officials say crews responded to 121 calls for service on Friday. Those included 20 accidents with damage, 1 crash with injury, 4 calls for debris on the road or highway, 27 disabled vehicles, 1 flat tire, and 3 mechanical service calls.

As of 10:30 p.m., We Energies says nearly 93,000 customers are without power. Crews say they have restored power to over 60,000 customers and plan to work through the night to help restore power that's out, and fix any outages that come.

8:45p: Transformers explode in Greenfield

Cris from Greenfield sent us this stunning video of multiple transformers exploding.

As of 8:45 p.m. Friday, nearly 70,000 We Energies customers were without power.

8:24p: Lake Geneva Resort shuts down ski hills

Lake Geneva Resort & Spa tells us their ski hills are shut down for the night after power was lost.

As of about 8:30p Friday, just under 67,000 We Energies customers are without power throughout the region.

7:59p: Tree split in half in Grafton

The overwhelming weight of today's snow split this tree clean in half in Grafton. It landed on top of a home's garage, but thankfully, that appears to be the extent of the damage.

Credit: Clark Evans

7:30p: Northwest Milwaukee residents lose water pressure after water main break

Milwaukee city officials say a number of residents and businesses on the northwest side lost water pressure after what they say was a major water main break late Friday afternoon.

Milwaukee Water Works crews responded to the break at 91st and Mill, and said there were additional, smaller breaks in the area.

Officials say a power outage at the Florist district pumping station (near 76th and Silver Spring) led to reduced water pressure throughout the Florist district.

Crews are currently working on fixing the main breaks, which should help restore pressure for most customers.

Read more about this story here.

7:17p: Storm Team 4 updated projected snow totals

Here's closer look at expected total snow for metro Milwaukee - ranging from 4" of slush right along the lake to 12"+ in the western burbs.

6:49p: The Rock Snowpark closes for the day

The Rock Snowpark in Franklin is closing its doors for the day after losing power.

"We unfortunately will have to close for the night. We will update you as soon as it’s back on!" the park said in a Facebook post.

Just under 40,000 We Energies customers are currently without power. Check the outage map here.

6:19p: Check out reported snow totals so far

Here's a look at snow totals from around the area as of about 6 p.m. Friday:

North Prairie is the leader in the clubhouse so far with just under a foot of snow.

Meanwhile, along the lakefront in Milwaukee and Racine, totals have barely topped 3 inches.

5:58p: Small business owners face snow day challenges

Many small business owners in Milwaukee made adjustments Friday, with some closing, to keep themselves and their customers safe and off the road.

Katy Murphy, owner of 414 Nutrition, said having a snow day off work has little appeal but she made the tough decision to close her downtown shop.

“Honestly, it’s like the most anxiety ridden, stressful decision,” she said. “If the business isn’t making money, I’m not making money, which is hard. The bills don’t care that it snowed two days in one week.”

Read Tahleel Mohieldin's story here.

5:29p: Waukesha County updates 911 dispatch stats

As of 2 p.m. this afternoon, here are a list of 911 calls that dispatch has taken throughout Waukesha County:

Total Calls Answered: 546
Accidents: 41
Vehicles in Ditch : 205
Disabled Vehicles: 109
Traffic Hazards: 15
Trees Down: 32
Wires Down/Arcing or Sparking Wires: 11

5:24p: Marcus Performing Arts Center cancels performance

Friday's snow has cancelled tonight's performance of Broadway musical "Funny Girl."

The Marcus Performing Arts Center announced the news on Facebook.

"Ticket holders for tonight’s performance should check their email for more details regarding tickets," the post says.

According to our Susan Kim, the last time the theater cancelled a Broadway show was The Lion King on February 5, 2008.

4:49p: Storm Team 4 updates projected snow totals

Brace yourselves: Storm Team 4 Chief Meteorologist Brian Niznansky has upped the projected snow totals for southeast Wisconsin.

Most of the viewing area is now expected to see 8-12" of widespread snow.

Along the lakefront, we're expecting 4-8" of snow as rain mixes in.

But look at northwest of Milwaukee, where a band including West Bend and Oconomowoc is now projected to see 12-15" of snow.

Yeah, that's a lot. See the latest forecast here.

4:27p: Roads remain dangerous as rush hour approaches

Reporter Megan Lee spotted this overturned car on US 45 northbound in Fond du Lac. Drive safe out there.

4:23p: Patches of bare grass still visible along Milwaukee's lakefront

This is the power of Lake Michigan: Inland areas are getting hit with inches upon inches of snow, while Shaun Gallagher took this video at Discovery World where you can still see patches of bare grass:

3:32p: MCTS bus driver helps man with stranded car get to work during snow storm

A Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) bus driver helped a stranded driver get to work Friday morning as a major winter storm moved through the area.

According to MCTS, Andre Clavelli was heading to work at about 7 a.m. when he lost traction and his car ended up in a snowbank.

"While several cars and trucks passed by, with so many inches of snow and such slippery conditions, the other drivers didn’t stop," a news release shared by MCTS says.

That's when Clavelli went back into his car and called roadside assistance. Right as he was dialing, MCTS driver Deneen Tate, driving her BlueLine route, saw Clavelli and pulled over to help him.

Together, Tate and Clavelli were able to get the car back on the road - proving that it takes a village when a snow storm like this comes to Wisconsin.

Watch the video of Tate and Clavelli in action here.

3:08p: Dangerous road conditions in southeast Wisconsin

Here's a look at road conditions across southeast Wisconsin right now. The majority are snow covered (blue) or have slippery stretches (purple).

Avoid travel if possible and monitor road conditions on the 511 Wisconsin website here.

2:34p: We Energies crews working to restore power

Reporter Jenna Rae is at 22nd and Lapham where We Energies crews are working to restore power for about 100 customers.

Overall, just over 24,000 We Energies customers are without power as of about 2:30 p.m.

Check the We Energies outage map here.

2:24p: Sheboygan County Sheriff's Office issues tow ban

If your car gets stuck in Sheboygan County tonight, it's going to be there for a while.

The Sheboygan County Sheriff's Office issued a tow ban Friday afternoon.

"All vehicles that are stuck in ditch-lines will remain in place until after 3PM Saturday due to dangerous conditions," the Sheriff's Office said in a Facebook post.

1:51p: Jackknifed semi in Germantown

Julia Fello reports on X that a semi has jackknifed on I-41 SB in Germantown. Avoid the area and check current traffic conditions here.

1:39p: Franklin man dies while snow blowing driveway

A 69-year-old Franklin man died while snow blowing his driveway Friday, the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office said.

The death is not being considered suspicious, and the Medical Examiner's Office says an autopsy will not be performed.

1:30p: There's so much snow that Sunburst Ski Hill is pressing pause on tubing

The winter storm moving through southeast Wisconsin on Friday was so strong that it forced Sunburst Ski Hill in Kewaskum to temporary pause its tubing operations.

"Our tubing lanes have been filed with white gold," a post on Sunburst's Facebook page said.

Sunburst said it made the decision for the "safety and enjoyment of our guests."

Read more here.

12:40p:

Olivia in Waukesha sent us this photo of a power line on fire on Harris Highland Drive:

12:00p:
Milwaukee police are responding to a crash on W. Lisbon Avenue:

Milwaukee Police responding to a crash on W. Lisbon

11:41a:
Not everyone is seeing white, fluffy snow. Check out this video Tahleel Mohieldin took in Milwaukee:

Slush combo in Milwaukee

11:15a:
More traffic snarls — this time at I-41/US-45 South at Lannon Road.

I-41/US 45 South CLOSED at Lannon Rd because of a crash. Traffic is being diverted off and back onto the Interstate at Lannon Rd. pic.twitter.com/ery6xzaMWu

— Adriana Mendez (@AdrianaMendez) January 12, 2024

11:08a
Lines are building up at Mitchell International Airport.

Mary Jo Ola took this picture of the departures boards, which are showing a lot of cancellations:

10:45a
TMJ4's Jenna Rae took this video in West Allis. She says some people still have power, but many do not. We Energies currently has more than 21,000 customers in the dark.

Many without power in West Allis

10:40a
People in Kenosha are dealing with a snow slush mix. Check out these videos taken by TMJ4s Jeff Zampanti.

Walking conditions in Kenosha

10:15a
Messy road conditions persist — stay home if you can.

I-41 South at US 45--Crash- Vehicle stuck in snow pic.twitter.com/fBvwDn4pBU

— Adriana Mendez (@AdrianaMendez) January 12, 2024

10:11a
City of Milwaukee offices will close at noon today.

Due to worsening weather conditions anticipated for later this afternoon, all City offices and operations will be closed at noon today for the safety of our employees. ❄️

Take care, stay warm, and stay safe! pic.twitter.com/buwoHuQRwv

— Milwaukee City Development (@MilwaukeeDCD) January 12, 2024

10:07a
Susan Kim says the roads into work are pretty messy this morning:

Driving to work in a snow storm during the day versus overnight when I worked mornings. Either way, the roads are messy. I-94 EB through Waukesha County covered with snow. Drove 20-25 MPH. Milwaukee County, better, mostly slushy and slick. Ramps are a mess. Be safe today! @tmj4 pic.twitter.com/FPGOG6DgtT

— SUSAN KIM (@SusanKim4) January 12, 2024

9:56a
The Brewers have canceled Saturday's Winter Warm-up:

Update on Winter Warm-Up: pic.twitter.com/NeO0jRvBwL

— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) January 11, 2024

9:51a
Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport will remain open today.

@MitchellAirport says it will remain open during the winter storm. @tmj4 Storm Team Coverage will be taking you to the cargo ramps and runway to get a look at the crews making it possible. pic.twitter.com/ZJiqHPOEoi

— Sydni Eure (@SydniEure) January 12, 2024

9:47a
Some updates from the city of Wauwatosa:

Highway Operations have been out since 4am and will continue to battle to clear our roads. If you absolutely must travel today, stay back from the plows and slow down. Visibility is slim and accidents are occurring causing delays. pic.twitter.com/JRlOmVR9iH

— Waukesha County Public Works (@WaukeshaCoDPW) January 12, 2024

9:38a
Traffic alert for the Zoo Interchange:

TRAFFIC NOTICE: The eastbound I-94 ramps to southbound and northbound I-41 in the zoo interchange are blocked. Consider alternate routes. https://t.co/namYK4DYJh

— WisDOT Southeast Region (@WisDOTsoutheast) January 12, 2024

In Waukesha County, Public Works is recommending drivers stay home.

Highway Operations have been out since 4am and will continue to battle to clear our roads. If you absolutely must travel today, stay back from the plows and slow down. Visibility is slim and accidents are occurring causing delays. pic.twitter.com/JRlOmVR9iH

— Waukesha County Public Works (@WaukeshaCoDPW) January 12, 2024

9:25a

Snow is starting to accumulate across Southeast Wisconsin. Intensity will build as we head into the afternoon.

Snow will start picking up throughout the morning and into the afternoon. Be careful about any travel plans, as blizzard conditions will be possible by the evening:https://t.co/7bDGMTihqv

— TMJ4 News (@tmj4) January 12, 2024

Heavy snow often brings power outages, and that is the case with this winter storm. We Energies are currently reporting more than 24,000 customers without power in our area. You can report an outage or check on the status of power restoration for your home or business here.

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