Fog Blankets the State for the Last Hours of 2010

   The last day of the year has Wisconsin blanketed in melting snow and fog. Warm temperatures for western winds have a good portion of the snow here melting.

Statement as of 6:30 PM CST on December 31, 2010
Dense Fog Advisory
... Dense fog advisory remains in effect until 9 PM CST this
evening...
A dense fog advisory remains in effect until 9 PM CST this
evening.
* Areas of dense fog will continue into the early evening.
* Visibilities will be restricted to less than 1/4 mile at times.
* Motorists should be prepared for poor visibility in fog. 

Precautionary/preparedness actions... A dense fog advisory means visibilities will frequently be reduced to less than one quarter mile. When driving... be sure to slow down... use your low beam headlights... and keep a safe distance from other vehicles.
Statement as of 3:01 PM CST on December 31, 2010
Special Weather Statement
... Slippery travel conditions expected to develop across the area... Travelers should prepare for scattered slippery travel conditions across north-central and portions of central Wisconsin late this afternoon and this evening. Hazardous travel conditions are likely across the entire region after midnight. A band of light precipitation will surge across the area this afternoon and early evening. Since temperatures across north-central and parts of central Wisconsin were around the freezing mark ... some of this precipitation will be in the form of light freezing rain. At this time the amounts will be light but will still be capable of producing scattered slippery spots on untreated roads and sidewalks.  Temperatures across the entire area will turn sharply colder late this evening and in the hours after midnight. Although the precipitation is expected to have ended by then... the plunging temperatures are likely to cause lingering water on roadways to freeze into a sheet of ice... a situation known as a flash-freeze.
This could result in the rapid onset of treacherous travel conditions across the entire area. Anyone planning to drive home after a new year's eve party should be prepared to encounter icy roadways.