Alert archive / Wisconsin / Freeze Warnings in 2026
Freeze Warning 2, NWS Twin Cities, MN
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.
- 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
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.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 30, 1:46 PM CDT | Frost Advisory | MPX | Pepin, Pierce | 18 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.