Snow Plowing Update: January 20, 2026

Bottom Line

More snow tonight. Likely too cold to salt. Be prepared for a snow-covered roads for your Wednesday morning commute.  

What’s the weather doing?

Late tonight, another round of dry, powdery snow is expected to fall.

According to forecasts, the snowfall will last all through the night and end shortly before the morning commute.

Air temperatures will be in the low teens overnight during the snow with very little wind. Temps are expected to slowly warm up throughout the day to nearly 20 degrees.

Streets Division’s response details

Crews will be on the salt routes in response to the storm all through the night. The “salt routes” are the roughly 800 miles of traffic lanes that make up our main thoroughfares. 

With pavement temperatures expected to be below the threshold to apply salt, crews will be applying sand where needed to these streets to help with traction.

Streets Division response will continue throughout the day following the storm, too. This is normal following every snowstorm. 

Staff will be monitoring pavement temperatures carefully. If conditions require it, and when pavement temperatures allow for it, plow trucks working on the salt routes will switch to applying traditional rock salt.

What to expect on your commutes

Expect snow-covered roads throughout Madison.

Since it will be so cold, we do not expect to be able to use salt when the snow first gets underway. As a reminder, when pavement temperatures are below 20 degrees the chemical process that allows salt to turn snow back into water slows down significantly, so salt at the maximum application rate used by the Streets Division is far less effective. 

While the storm is likely to be over by the start of the traditional morning commute, the effects of the storm will still be in place.

Give yourself extra travel time to get to your destinations on time.  Stay attentive.  Be slow and cautious. Overall, make good choices.

The effects from this snow may linger throughout the day as well with the cold temperatures persisting, so be prepared for snowy travel all day on Wednesday.

Will the Streets Division plow every street after tonight’s snowstorm?

That’s to be determined. Future announcements will be made to update you on our ongoing response.

How much of the dry, powdery snow we will get tonight remains uncertain.

Also, forecasts are calling for a second snow event in the late afternoon on Wednesday and that accumulation total is also unsettled.

Monitoring conditions

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