Even though there is no snow on the ground and the temperature has been in the 50s all week, winter parking regulations go into effect Thursday at 1 a.m.

Winter regulations include alternate street side parking, which means parking on the even house numbered side of the street on even numbered days and on the odd house numbered side of the street on odd numbered days between the hours of 1 a.m. and 7 a.m.

"[Winter regulations] are important when there is snowfall, in order for the street to get cleared all the way to the curb," said George Twigg, communications director for Mayor Dave Cieslewicz. "One day the snow plows can get to the curb on one side, and the other day when people follow alternate side parking restrictions, the plows can get all the way to the curb on the other side."

The city of Madison urges street parkers to be aware of which side of the street they park on in the evening based the following day’s date.

If people park their cars on the evening of Nov. 15, they should park it on the even side of the street because restrictions begin at 1 a.m., Nov. 16, which is an even numbered day.

These regulations stay in effect regardless of the weather conditions, except during a state of snow emergency when the entire residential streets need to be plowed.

In these cases, parkers must follow emergency instructions given on the city of Madison's winter parking information line and on its website.

In the downtown area, alternate parking regulations take effect in the Downtown-Isthmus Snow Emergency Zone only during snow emergencies. This zone extends from Park Street on the west to Proudfit Street on the south to Thornton Avenue and the Yahara River on the north and from Lake Monona to Lake Mendota.

Exceptions to regulations include streets that have 24-hour no parking restrictions on one side of the street, which leaves them exempt from alternate parking regulations.

Also, the 700 to 1200 block of Jenifer Street must observe daytime alternate parking restrictions. Therefore, in a state of snow emergency, this street is exempt from all other restrictions.

Violators of alternate side parking regulations will be fined $10, while violators of the snow emergency regulations will be fined $20.

The regulations, as they do every year, will continue until March 15.

Representatives from the city of Madison Parking Utility were unavailable Tuesday.