Snow has arrived in southern Wisconsin. Here's how much is expected to fall; arctic cold to follow

A winter storm will bring snow, wind and the possibility for a light glaze of ice to southern Wisconsin on Friday night into Saturday, forecasters say.

Once the storm moves out of the area, arctic air is then forecast to overspread the state. Wind chills Saturday night and early Sunday will fall into the -15 to -20 range in southern Wisconsin, according to the National Weather Service.

Winter storm warnings and winter weather advisories are posted for the entire state, with snow already overspreading Wisconsin from west to east beginning on Friday afternoon.

The heaviest snow is expected across northwest, central and northeast Wisconsin. 

For southern Wisconsin, "The bulk of our snow will be Friday afternoon through Friday night," said Taylor Patterson, a meteorologist at the weather service office in Sullivan. "That's when we are expecting -- specifically during the overnight hours -- moderate to heavy snowfall."

Forecasters expect the snow to possibly mix with rain and/or sleet on Saturday morning for areas along and south of I-94 before it turns back to light snow as the day progresses.

Total snowfall amounts in southern Wisconsin are expected to be in the 3 to 6 inch range across southern Wisconsin, according to the National Weather Service. 

Higher snow amounts — up to 8 inches — will be possible in portions of Sheboygan, Washington and Ozaukee counties, where there is the potential for lake effect snow to occur.  

Forecasters also said that they are watching the potential for freezing rain or freezing drizzle to create a light glaze of ice — and reduce the snow totals — in southern Wisconsin overnight Friday into early Saturday morning.

Forecasters are not looking for a repeat of the icy conditions that made travel treacherous in the Milwaukee area a week ago. 

"As far the icing concern, it's not going to be as bad as the last storm," said Cameron Miller, a weather service meteorologist. "When we get that wintry mix there could be just a light glaze, but it's not going to be a significant accumulation (of ice) where you'd be able to see it on branches or power poles."  

The snow arrived on schedule to the south and west of Milwaukee on Friday afternoon. By Friday evening snow was falling across most of the state.

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation was reporting almost every major highway in the state was snow-covered or had slippery stretches as of 10 p.m. A stretch of Interstate 90 from Madison to Beloit was listed as ice-covered.

Travel delays were widespread in the Milwaukee area at rush hour, with some major stretches reporting travel times over 20 minutes longer than normal.

Milwaukee-area traffic cameras showed few cars on the snow-covered highways Friday night, with multiple crashes closing lanes across the area.

In the heaviest bands of snow overnight, visibility could be reduced, Miller said.  

Blowing and drifting snow could occur on Saturday across some portions of southern Wisconsin, according to the weather service. 

Here's a rundown of advisories across southern Wisconsin:

Winter weather advisory beginning at 5 p.m. Friday to 6 p.m. Saturday for Milwaukee, Waukesha, Washington, Ozaukee, Racine, Kenosha, Fond du Lac, Sheboygan, Dodge, Jefferson and Walworth counties.

Winter weather advisory beginning at 2 p.m. Friday to 6 p.m. Saturday for Dane, Marquette, Green Lake, Sauk, Columbia, Iowa, Lafayette, Green and Rock counties.

Sophie Carson of the Journal Sentinel contributed to this report.

Contact Joe Taschler at (414) 224-2554 or jtaschler@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JoeTaschler or Facebook at facebook.com/joe.taschler.1.