Numerous schools closed as April winter storm forecasted to bring a mix of snow, sleet, and ice across northern Wisconsin

This story was updated Thursday morning with the latest school closures and updates from the National Weather Service Green Bay.

An Ice Storm Warning has been issued for much of northern Wisconsin, including Oneida, Forest, Lincoln and Langlade Counties.

A Winter Storm Warning is in effect further to the north.

Gus Kaiser is a meteorologist with the National Weather Service Green Bay.

“There's a lot of uncertainty with exactly how the icing is going to affect the roads,” said Kaiser during a weather briefing Wednesday afternoon. “Especially as we get into April, it doesn't take a whole lot of sun, once it comes out tomorrow (Thursday) morning, to start melting stuff, so there's just some uncertainty there with what the impacts will be like on the roads.”

You can check road conditions at 511 Wisconsin.

School Closures

The following districts have announced closures for Thursday, April 2 because of the weather:

Nicolet College - Closed: remote learning only

Northcentral Technical College – Closed

Rhinelander Schools – Closed

Rhinelander Head Start - Closed

Lakeland Union High School – Closed

Arbor-Vitae Woodruff – Closed

MHLT – Closed

North Lakeland – Closed

Lac du Flambeau Elementary – Closed

Three Lakes School District Closed 4/2/26

Laona -Closed

Wabeno – Closed

Mercer – Closed

White Lake School District – Closed

Chequamegon School District - Closed

Phillips-Closed

Gilman - Virtual Learning Day

Phelps Schools and daycare -Closed

Nativity of Our Lord Catholic School – Closed

Zion Lutheran School- Rhinelander - Closed

Looking back

A year ago, just about to the day, the Northwoods was hit by an ice storm that took out power to thousands for days. That storm was among the largest restoration efforts in Wisconsin Public Service history.

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LOOKING BACK: An “army of line workers” arrives in the Northwoods as WPS works to restore power to tens of thousands of people

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Among the priorities to restore power Monday were polling locations. Some still had to switch locations.

Kaiser says while there could be some of the same impacts, like power outages and downed trees, this storm is much shorter in its duration.

“I remember that being about an 18-to-24-hour period of lighter freezing rain, but it was a little colder, and it stayed colder afterwards, so the impacts lingered longer,” said Kaiser. “This one should be about 12-hour period of freezing precept for most areas Thursday morning, but it should warm up Thursday afternoon, especially across the areas that are going to see the highest icing in central Wisconsin.”

There is a slight chance for some thunderstorms Thursday evening, though the greater risk for any severe weather is to our south.