A powerful winter storm is sweeping across the midwest. TMJ4's Charles Benson went inside the Wisconsin Department of Transportation's (DOT) Traffic Management Center to show us what is happening on the state's streets and what they are doing to prepare for the snow.
The snow is coming during a major weekend for travelers. If you have plans to go out of town for the holidays, be prepared for unpleasant conditions on the roads.
Benson spoke with the DOT on the important steps you can take to keep yourself safe before you head out.
On a big screen, the DOT uses over 500 cameras to monitor I-43 up to Green Bay and all along I-90 and 94 to Minneapolis. You can also click on all those cameras to get a real-time, live view of what is happening on the 511 Wisconsin website.
"All this information is reflected on 511 Wisconsin," Traffic Management Unit Supervisor Randy Hoyt said. "We encourage people to know before you go and use 511 Wisconsin to plan your trip."
511 Wisconsin is your road map to see everything the DOT can see and what the State Patrol is seeing. For example, DOT showed TMJ4 that there are already snow-covered roads in the northwest.
"It'll show if you look at 511 Wisconsin, it will show you good winter driving, it'll show slippery stretches, snow-covered and ice-covered," Hoyt said. "The fifth category is travel advice. Travel not advised is at the request of law enforcement."
If there is an incident on the highway, like a disabled vehicle or blocked lanes, it will show up as a green, yellow, or red alert.
"We have calls with the National Weather Service. We're in communication with them several times a day," Hoyt said when asked what his team is doing to make sure they are ready for the snowstorm. He also said they are adding a minimum of two extra people per shit to the unit for the storm.
And of course, there are steps you can take before you get behind the wheel, like having a full tank of gas and ensuring you have enough tire tread. Make sure you slow down and if you do have car trouble or get into an accident, be prepared to wait before help arrives. Have enough warm clothing and bring a fully charged cell phone along with you, as well as a phone charger. You should also stock up on a snow/ice scraper, jumper cables, a flashlight and batteries, and some calorie-dense food.
Again, before hitting the road, be sure to check travel conditions on the 511 Wisconsin website.
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A WINTER STORM WARNING will go into effect from 9 a.m. Thursday through 6 a.m. Saturday for the following counties: Kenosha, Racine, Washington, Ozaukee, Milwaukee, Sheboygan, Walworth, Waukesha, Dodge, Fond Du Lac, and Jefferson.
Blizzard conditions are possible. Winds could gust as high as 50 mph. Portions of east-central, south-central, and southeast Wisconsin are expected to see snow Thursday morning through late Friday night. Travel could be difficult to impossible. Widespread blowing snow could significantly reduce visibility. Hazardous conditions could also impact the morning and evening commute, particularly from Thursday evening through Friday evening. Gusty winds could bring down tree branches. Cold wind chills as low as 25 below zero could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 30 minutes.
