Alert archive / Wisconsin / Freeze Warnings in 2026

Freeze Warning 2, NWS Twin Cities, MN

April 30, 20267 counties in Wisconsin; Chisago County, Minnesota

NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this freeze warning at Apr 30, 2026, 1:46 PM CDT for 7 counties in Wisconsin; Chisago County, Minnesota. It took effect at May 1, 2026, 12:00 AM CDT. It was in force for 8 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Apr 30, 2026, 1:46 PM CDT (18:46 UTC)
In effect from
May 1, 2026, 12:00 AM CDT
Expired
May 1, 2026, 8:00 AM CDT
In force
8 hr
Issued by
NWS Twin Cities, MN

Counties Chisago County, MN, Barron County, WI, Chippewa County, WI, Dunn County, WI, Eau Claire County, WI, Polk County, WI, Rusk County, WI, Saint Croix County, WI

The radar

The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 136 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:50 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 12:00Z, 6.8 hours before the alert went out and 139 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Minneapolis, MN at 12:00Z on 2026-04-30Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Minneapolis, MN at 12:00Z on 2026-04-30The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -9 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
1287 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
38 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-9 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
90 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

250 
WWUS73 KMPX 301846
NPWMPX

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
146 PM CDT Thu Apr 30 2026

MNZ053-WIZ014>016-023-025-027-028-010700-
/O.NEW.KMPX.FZ.W.0002.260501T0500Z-260501T1300Z/
Chisago-Polk-Barron-Rusk-St. Croix-Dunn-Chippewa-Eau Claire-
Including the cities of Ladysmith, Center City, Eau Claire, Chippewa
Falls, Menomonie, Rice Lake, Osceola, and Hudson
146 PM CDT Thu Apr 30 2026

...FREEZE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 8 AM CDT
FRIDAY...

* WHAT...Sub-freezing temperatures of 28 to 32 degrees expected.

* WHERE...In Minnesota, Chisago County. In Wisconsin, Barron, Polk,
  Rusk, Chippewa, Dunn, Eau Claire, and St. Croix Counties.

* WHEN...From midnight tonight to 8 AM CDT Friday.

* IMPACTS...Frost and freeze conditions could kill crops, other
  sensitive vegetation and possibly damage unprotected outdoor
  plumbing.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold.

&&

$$

MNZ051-052-054-056>059-061-063>066-070-073-078-WIZ024-026-010700-
/O.NEW.KMPX.FR.Y.0002.260501T0500Z-260501T1300Z/
Sherburne-Isanti-Lac Qui Parle-Chippewa-Kandiyohi-Meeker-Wright-
Anoka-Washington-Yellow Medicine-Renville-McLeod-Dakota-Redwood-
Goodhue-Pierce-Pepin-
Including the cities of Madison, Olivia, Blaine, Stillwater, Red
Wing, River Falls, Montevideo, Hutchinson, Hastings, Redwood Falls,
Cambridge, Monticello, Granite Falls, Litchfield, Elk River, Durand,
and Willmar
146 PM CDT Thu Apr 30 2026

...FROST ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 8 AM CDT
FRIDAY...

* WHAT...Temperatures as low as 32 will result in frost formation.

* WHERE...Portions of central, east central, southeast, southwest,
  and west central Minnesota and west central Wisconsin.

* WHEN...From midnight tonight to 8 AM CDT Friday.

* IMPACTS...Frost could harm sensitive outdoor vegetation. Sensitive
  outdoor plants may be killed if left uncovered.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold.

&&

$$

BED
1 follow-up statement
150 
WWUS73 KMPX 010154
NPWMPX

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
854 PM CDT Thu Apr 30 2026

MNZ053-WIZ014>016-023-025-027-028-011200-
/O.CON.KMPX.FZ.W.0002.260501T0500Z-260501T1300Z/
Chisago-Polk-Barron-Rusk-St. Croix-Dunn-Chippewa-Eau Claire-
Including the cities of Center City, Rice Lake, Hudson, Chippewa
Falls, Ladysmith, Osceola, Eau Claire, and Menomonie
854 PM CDT Thu Apr 30 2026

...FREEZE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 8 AM CDT
FRIDAY...

* WHAT...Sub-freezing temperatures as low as 30 expected.

* WHERE...In Minnesota, Chisago County. In Wisconsin, Barron, Polk,
  Rusk, Chippewa, Dunn, Eau Claire, and St. Croix Counties.

* WHEN...From midnight tonight to 8 AM CDT Friday.

* IMPACTS...Frost and freeze conditions could kill crops, other
  sensitive vegetation and possibly damage unprotected outdoor
  plumbing.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold.

&&

$$

MNZ051-052-054-056>059-061-063>066-070-073-078-WIZ024-026-011200-
/O.CON.KMPX.FR.Y.0002.260501T0500Z-260501T1300Z/
Sherburne-Isanti-Lac Qui Parle-Chippewa-Kandiyohi-Meeker-Wright-
Anoka-Washington-Yellow Medicine-Renville-McLeod-Dakota-Redwood-
Goodhue-Pierce-Pepin-
Including the cities of Olivia, Blaine, Redwood Falls, Durand,
Stillwater, Madison, Hutchinson, Cambridge, Monticello, Red Wing, Elk
River, Granite Falls, Montevideo, Hastings, Willmar, River Falls, and
Litchfield
854 PM CDT Thu Apr 30 2026

...FROST ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 8 AM CDT
FRIDAY...

* WHAT...Temperatures as low as 33 will result in frost formation.

* WHERE...Portions of central, east central, southeast, southwest,
  and west central Minnesota and west central Wisconsin.

* WHEN...From midnight tonight to 8 AM CDT Friday.

* IMPACTS...Frost could harm sensitive outdoor vegetation. Sensitive
  outdoor plants may be killed if left uncovered.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold.

&&

$$

Strus

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this freeze warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Twin Cities, MN wrote its last area forecast discussion before this freeze warning went out at Apr 30, 12:31 PM CDT, 1 hour 15 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • Frosts or freezes are expected tonight, Thursday night, and Friday night.
  • A few showers are possible this afternoon across southwest MN and across south central MN to west central WI Friday afternoon. Additional low chances arrive this weekend and early next week.
Area forecast discussion, Apr 30, 12:31 PM CDT, 1 hour 15 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
1231 PM CDT Thu Apr 30 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Frosts or freezes are expected tonight, Thursday night, and
  Friday night.

- A few showers are possible this afternoon across southwest MN
  and across south central MN to west central WI Friday
  afternoon. Additional low chances arrive this weekend and
  early next week.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 202 AM CDT Thu Apr 30 2026

It's a rinse and repeat kind of weather pattern, with what we
saw Wednesday basically repeating itself today and Friday. The
culprit is the broad upper low centered between Lake Superior
and Hudson Bay. Through Friday, we'll remain within the cyclonic
flow of this upper low, which will keep bouts of cloud cover
and light rain showers going. The first wave moved across
southwest MN overnight and will be moving into Iowa shortly
after sunrise. The next wave was up across northern NoDak at
2am. This wave will continue southeast, with most HREF members
showing scattered showers this afternoon and tonight going down
the MN River Valley from west central down to south central MN.
There will be one more small chance for showers Friday afternoon
as diurnal activity tries to develop for roughly the southeast
half of the MPX coverage area. Besides the shower chances, we'll
have lows through Friday night falling down to around the
freezing mark, with a frost/freeze threat continuing each night,
though it will be driven by the amount of cloud cover we see.
Given the uncertainties in cloud cover, we have no additional
frost/freeze headlines after this morning, but that will likely
change as we get a better handle on cloud cover extent each
night.

This weekend, we finally get out of the cyclonic flow, which
will allow a milder airmass to nudge back into the area, with
highs expected to be back up near normal (60s). Though we'll be
out of the cyclonic flow, we'll be in a perturbed northwest
flow, so nuisance shortwave passages will continue. The first
will come through Saturday night, with a stronger cold front
dropping through Monday morning. Behind the Monday front, we get
back into cyclonic flow as the h5 low nudges back west toward
northwest Ontario. This means even more nuisance shortwaves and
minor rain chances. This cyclonic flow also looks to feature a
renewed push of cooler air for the second half of next week.
This will push highs back into the 50s, with low again flirting
with 32 degrees Thursday and Friday.

&&

.AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z FRIDAY/...
Issued at 1207 PM CDT Thu Apr 30 2026

Solid VFR conditions with mid-level clouds throughout, varying
between SCT-BKN coverage. Very low chance for precipitation in
western MN, and only passing showers at that, so have maintained
the PROB30 mention at both AXN and RWF for later this afternoon
into the early evening hours. NW to N winds throughout with
sustained speeds 10kts or less, though through sunset there may
be some occasional gusts 15-20kts.

KMSP...No additional concerns.

/OUTLOOK FOR KMSP/
SAT...VFR. Wind SW 5-10 kts.
SUN...VFR. Wind NW 5-10 kts.
MON...VFR. Wind NW 10-15G25kts.

&&

.MPX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MN...None.
WI...None.

&&

DISCUSSION...MPG
AVIATION...JPC
Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 30, 3:32 AM CDT, 10 hours 14 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
332 AM CDT Thu Apr 30 2026

MNZ041>045-047>070-073>078-082>085-091>093-WIZ014>016-023>028-
010845-
Douglas-Todd-Morrison-Mille Lacs-Kanabec-Stevens-Pope-Stearns-
Benton-Sherburne-Isanti-Chisago-Lac Qui Parle-Swift-Chippewa-
Kandiyohi-Meeker-Wright-Hennepin-Anoka-Ramsey-Washington-
Yellow Medicine-Renville-McLeod-Sibley-Carver-Scott-Dakota-
Redwood-Brown-Nicollet-Le Sueur-Rice-Goodhue-Watonwan-Blue Earth-
Waseca-Steele-Martin-Faribault-Freeborn-Polk-Barron-Rusk-
St. Croix-Pierce-Dunn-Pepin-Eau Claire-
332 AM CDT Thu Apr 30 2026

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central and
southern Minnesota, and west central Wisconsin.

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight.

Overnight lows falling into the upper 20s to mid 30s will lead to
frost and freeze concerns for sensitive vegetation again tonight.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday.

Cold overnight lows will continue through Friday night, which
will lead to frost and freeze concerns for sensitive vegetation.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SKYWARN spotter activation will not be needed.

The office that day

Everything else NWS Twin Cities, MN issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 30, 1:46 PM CDTFrost AdvisoryMPXPepin, Pierce18 hr

Nearby

Freeze Warnings in Wisconsin, 2026Freeze Warnings in Minnesota, 2026Every freeze warning in 2026

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.