Snow Plowing Update: January 18, 2026 (6:17pm)

Bottom Line

1/18 (6:15pm) Streets Division plows will remain on duty all through the night. High winds may lead to blowing and drifting snow. Cold temperatures will keep salt from being effective. Stay cautious while you’re traveling through Madison.

Current Deployment Information

Light snow arrived this afternoon and Streets Division plows began attending to the salt routes.

Despite the frigid air temperatures, pavement temperatures were warm enough for plows to use salt during the snowfall.

As the evening continues, air temperatures and pavement temperatures will continue to get colder and colder, making salt at our application rate ineffective. 

Crews on duty now will switch to applying sand where needed when conditions require it.

Overnight Weather & Deployment Information

During the overnight hours, high winds are expected.

We may see some blowing and drifting snow, especially in the outlying areas along open fields (for example, roads like Sprecher Rd or S. Pleasant View Rd). 

Streets Division staff will remain on duty through the night and into the morning applying sand in residential areas, responding to any drifting concerns should they arise, and performing other snow maintenance work.

What to Expect on the Roads Tonight (1/18) and Tomorrow (1/19)

While salt was deployed with the small amount of snow we received this afternoon, the main thoroughfares will still have snow on them. 

As we have seen for much of this weekend, cold temperatures continue to hamper the effectiveness of salt at our application rates. Tracks through the snow are visible throughout most of the salt routes. Some intersections and turn lanes may be a bit snowier.

Low traffic, low speed residential areas that are not part of the salt route network of streets are snow-covered as well, which is completely normal for winter in Madison.

If you are traveling along the edges of the city, be prepared to encounter blowing and drifting snow. Wind gusts will be approaching 40MPH during the early morning on Sunday. 

Continue to make good choices when planning and executing your traveling decisions. Leave early so you can move more slowly and cautiously. Be patient and predictable. Remain focused.

There will still be snow on the roads, so remain cautious and alert so you can respond appropriately to conditions. 

Monitoring Conditions

Streets Division staff will be monitoring the roads and the weather. Operations will adjust as weather and conditions require.