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MILWAUKEE - A Winter Storm Warning is in effect for all of Southeastern Wisconsin Friday, with Storm Team 4Caster John Malan saying we could see up to 7 inches of snow in some parts of southeast Wisconsin until 10 p.m.

John says there are a couple of moderate bands out there, moving into walworth county around 6 p.m. Friday, extending up towards Fond du Lac County.

From 6-9 p.m. John says we'll still look at pretty heavy snow bands and you might even hear a little thunder as it rolls through.

"We are starting to see snow showers starting to fall here in the Milwaukee metropolitan area," said Storm Team 4Caster Brian Gotter.  "The heaviest of the snow will be in Milwaukee, Waukesha Counties, all across southeast Wisconsin."

Brian says the worst of the snow will be from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. in southeast Wisconsin.  His latest projection has 3-7 inches of snow expected in Milwaukee and Waukesha Counties; 5-9 inches to the northern counties; 2-5 inches of snow to the southern counties.

The warning runs until 12 a.m. Saturday.  Click here for closings.

"This is not going to be a prolonged event," said Steele.  "A compressed event over just several hours where we could see some heavy, wet accumulation."

Steele tells us that the big question that's been attached to this weather system all along has been the time at which temperatures will fall below freezing, at which rain switches to winter precipitation.

"This is a rather tricky situation because the temperature profile in the atmosphere is the key.  When does it change from rain to snow?" noted Steele.

"All the computer models seem to agree on this situation, as it travels just to our south on a track that sets us up perfectly for heavy, wet snow.  It looks as though the rain will begin by the mid-morning hours across the entire area, and then gradually increase in intensity and then change over to snow by about 3:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m."

Steele forecasts that time to be when the biggest snows will strike - right when many people are heading home from work.  That could make traffic both slow and potentially dicey for many drivers.

"The real concern is the evening commute, when some very heavy, wet snow could begin to fall.  I think it's going to start sticking around through the evening going into the nighttime hours tonight."

Friday's Storm Team 4Cast from Brian Gotter:

***WINTER STORM WARNING FOR ALL OF SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN THROUGH 9:00PM CENTRAL AND SOUTH AND MIDNIGHT NORTH***

TODAY:    Cloudy, mild and windy with rain showers changing to snow after 2pm
        Snow may turn heavy at times with 2"-4" of accumulation by 7pm        
        High:   40...falling into low 30s
        Wind:  NE 15-20 mph gusting to 35 mph


TONIGHT:    Cloudy and windy with snow, heavy at times, before midnight, then mostly cloudy and brisk
        Accumulation: Additional 2"-4"...heaviest north of Milwaukee
        Low:    27
        Wind:  WNW 10-20 gusting to 30 mph


SATURDAY:    Cloudy and windy with scattered light snow showers or flurries
        Accumulation: Less than 1"        
        High:   35
        Wind:  WNW 10-20 gusting to 25 mph


SAT NIGHT:    Mostly cloudy with scattered light snow showers
        Low:   21
        Wind:  WNW 5-10 mph


SUNDAY:    Mostly cloudy and chilly with scattered light snow showers    
        Accumulation: Less than 1"        
        High:  31
        Wind: N 5-10 mph

More: Storm Team 4