Get ready to say farewell to some winter visitors that overstayed their welcome.

Temperatures in Kenosha should near the freezing mark today before settling into the 40s for the next few days. Those marks could, besides reversing a lengthy cold spell, eliminate most or all of the snow still sticking around.

It will be dramatically different from Wednesday, when the mercury only reached 11 degrees and dipped to minus 2 degrees at the Kenosha Regional Airport. Since Jan. 6, Kenosha has broken the freezing mark only twice, Jan. 31 and Feb. 1.

Chris Franks, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Sullivan, said Kenosha should see highs in the upper 20s or lower 30s today, with a large dose of sunshine. From Friday through Tuesday, temperatures should be well above freezing, with highs near 50 degrees Saturday and Tuesday.

“Temperatures are looking to stay mild and above normal,” Franks said.

The warm-up also means a meltdown for what’s left of snow in the area.

“We’re looking at several days of sun and above normal temperatures, which may get rid of almost all of the snowpack,” Franks said.

That’s welcome news to Kenosha officials, who enacted special snow removal efforts in the downtown and Uptown areas last month.

“That will certainly make a dent in the snow that we have,” Mayor Keith Bosman said. “We’re still not out of the woods in terms of a major snowfall, but the possibility of having to physically remove snow (as a special operation) is much more remote because the chances are it’s going to melt.”

The city is still finalizing the costs for last month’s snow-clearing operations.

Franks said the melting snow should not cause much flooding, but rain could create some problems.

“There is some indication that we may get a healthy amount of rain a little ways out, but there is still some uncertainty,” Franks said. “The first foot or so of soil is frozen, so there isn’t any good chances for the moisture to infiltrate, so it goes straight to runoff, which is a little bit of a concern.”

The Fox River could rise with the melting snow, but Franks said a significant amount of rain would be needed to reach flood stage.

Ron Bursek, the city’s director of Public Works, said the city would attempt to stem flooding problems.

“We have localized spots that we know become trouble areas, and we make sure the catch basins are opened up to minimize problems,” Bursek said. “We continually take actions to clear the catch basins and ensure a path for melting snow to get to them.”

Bursek said residents can help by clearing a path for melting snow to reach catch basins. Residents can also contact the Streets Division, 653-4070, if there is an obstruction or other issue preventing proper drainage.

A broken water main and blocked storm drains led to heavy flooding near 40th Avenue and 52nd Street last week. The warmer temperatures do not necessarily mean better news for the city’s water mains.

“Warm temperatures don’t push the snow down any further, but it takes a while for frost to come out of the ground,” said Kenosha Water Utility general manager Ed St. Peter. “But if the top foot of frost below ground starts to thaw and then freezes, there could be problems. This could be the start of something good or of something worse.”

St. Peter said the frost is currently about 3.5 to 4.5 feet below ground, and the city has had about two water main breaks a day recently.