5 pm Update: Lake effect snow has ended for now, with chances returning tonight and Saturday
5:30 pm Update: The forecast remains on track. Here's a look at where we could see additional lake effect snow tonight:
4pm Update:
The lake-effect snow event is over for today. Here's the latest radar imagery:
And we're also wrapping up a solid week plus of frigid highs in the single-digits and teens. Check it out:
Tomorrow still holds a slight chance for a few snow showers near the lake but it looks less impressive than what we saw today. If we do get snow this time it should remain very close to the lakefront. We also begin to track a warm up with 20s expected over the weekend!
1:30 Update:
Our band of lake effect snow is still holding, but the intensity of the snow has lightened up. Visibility is staying reduced, however, as gusty winds are still here. Road conditions are still poor for Milwaukee and Waukesha Counties.
This lighter band of snowfall will remain until about 4/5pm before we get some quieter time until later tonight. During this quiet time, winds will still stay gusty, allowing for any of the light, fluffy flakes that fell to blow around and continue to reduce visibility.
11am Update:
The band of snow is still holding over northern Milwaukee County primarily and has reduced visibility quite a bit. Wind gusts have picked up and will continue to stay breezy today.
No reports of snow totals just yet, but if you look at this current radar image, you can see where the band of snow is started to move towards Racine and Kenosha Counties, as well as for spots more inland including eastern Waukesha County. These areas should prepare for a moderate round of snow heading into the start of the afternoon with winds increasing and visibilities decreasing.
Updated: 10:30 a.m., Jan. 30, 2026
Lake effect snow is currently ongoing in many lakeside communities. Some of the snow is coming down at a heavy rate. Snow rates could reach an inch per hour in some spots through the rest of the morning and into the afternoon. When the snow is not falling we are seeing a mix of sun and clouds across southeast Wisconsin.
Here is a current radar image that will update with time:
The rest of the forecast outline below remains on track with lake effect chances staying through late afternoon and seeing up to 3" of snow lakeside with a dusting the farther west.
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Posted: 7:33 a.m., Jan. 30, 2026
Lake effect snow developed over Lake Michigan Thursday night and has stayed over Lake Michigan so far Friday morning. We have seen a few random lake effect flurries but most of the accumulating snow is still well over the Lake. That snow should make its way over land by the end of the morning commute and stay with us through the late afternoon.
The lake effect snow should end in most areas by the late afternoon or dinnertime hours. Highest totals will happen in our lakeside areas especially right near the lakefront in Sheboygan and Ozaukee Counties and farther inland across most of Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha Counties. Some lake effect snow showers could reach as far west as our western counties bringing in the chance at a dusting there. A few lake effect flurries might still be possible Friday night and Saturday during the morning hours but besides a dusting no additional accumulation is likely.
Some were questioning how we could see lake effect with all of the ice that has developed over Lake Michigan with the cold the last week. Even though it may seem pretty ice covered right near the shore, there is still plenty of open water in the middle of Lake Michigan. Our current ice coverage is sitting at 27% which is a bit more than average and last year but still far from totally iced over.
Download the CBS 58 Weather app to track the lake effect throughout the day.