[media-credit name=’JAKE NAUGHTON/Herald photo’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]

Tuesday began with 40-degree weather, but high winds, snow
and subzero temperatures returned to Madison last night and will continue
today.

The National Weather Service declared a winter weather
warning starting Tuesday at 2 p.m. and lasting until noon today. Intermittent
snowfall and unusually strong winds swept through the University of Wisconsin
campus Tuesday afternoon and are predicted to continue through this afternoon.
The snow is expected to slow by tonight, but high winds may continue until
Thursday.

Sudden changes in wind direction are responsible for the
drastic weather change, said Jon Martin, professor and chair of UW atmospheric
and oceanic studies department.

The sudden cold front sweeping through the Midwest is not
unusual after such warm temperatures, Martin said.

?It is typical to see a sudden increase in temperature
before such a forceful front like this,? he added.

Although weather reports predicted only a few inches of snow
Tuesday, the howling wind and freezing roads and sidewalks were Madison?s main
problem throughout the night, said Al Schumacher, streets superintendent.

?The temperature is dropping so drastically, the moisture
we?ve had [Tuesday] on the pavement will freeze,? he said. ?Our crews will be
out all night salting the main streets and sanding non-salt routes.?

Schumacher said blowing snow would not be as bad in the city
and dense residential areas because buildings block it, noting that ?rural
areas will get it the worst.?

Dani Joens-Tuttle, assistant director of UW residence life,
sent out an e-mail advising students in residence halls to close and latch
their windows last night to avoid damaged pipes.

Martin said he did not expect schools to close in the
Madison area today because there will not be enough snow.

According to Schumacher, after-school events for
Madison-area schools were canceled Tuesday.

Martin advised residents to refrain from driving Tuesday
night, since the roads were very icy and made even more dangerous with heavy
traffic.

?Give yourself plenty of time if you do need to travel,?
Schumacher said. ?But the best advice is stay in if you can.?

The water board meeting and Pedestrian/Bicycle/Motor Vehicle
Commission cancelled meetings Tuesday night due to the weather.