textproduct: Milwaukee/Sullivan

KEY MESSAGES

- A quick burst of snow will be possible over east central WI Sunday evening, but this area of snow could expand to larger portions of southern WI.

- Polar air to remain over southern WI through the weekend, then relatively mild temperatures for next week.

UPDATE

Issued 918 PM CST Thu Jan 1 2026

The low cloud deck is hanging tough across the region this evening. It may not start to scatter out until toward Friday morning, as the subsidence inversion lowers into this deck. Thus, have increased the sky cover in the forecast until around 09Z Friday, then have it scattering out into Friday morning. There is uncertainty with this, and the cloud deck could linger into Friday morning. The additional clouds may keep lows a bit higher than forecast overnight, so may need to adjust lows upward. There are also some flurries that may clip northeast parts of the area overnight, with very weak 700 mb warm air advection. May add this mention into those areas during this period.

Wood

SHORT TERM

Issued 237 PM CST Thu Jan 1 2026

Tonight through Sunday:

Snow is quickly diminishing from west to east across S WI this afternoon as the vorticity maximum exits far srn WI. The light snow over far se WI and east central WI should end by 22-23Z. Cloud cover is expected to gradually thin and scatter through the evening, but there is some uncertainty with the sky coverage given the extent of clouds extending well west of the MS River.

Partly cloudy skies and lgt wnwly winds are expected for Fri as high pressure moves into MN and pressure troughing continues over the nrn Great Lakes via diabatic heating. Temps will rise from the single digits Fri AM into the upper teens to lower 20s for the afternoon.

Mid to high clouds will then increase for Fri nt-Sat due to a shortwave trough tracking from NE to the srn Ohio Valley, and a vorticity maximum tracking across nrn and central WI on Sat. 20 percent chances for light snow are forecast toward central WI on Sat. High pressure will then settle over WI late Sat nt into Sun AM with decreasing clouds and temps remaining a bit below normal.

Gehring

LONG TERM

Issued 237 PM CST Thu Jan 1 2026

Sunday night through Thursday:

A well organized shortwave trough approaching from the west will pass Sunday evening. A surge of low to mid level warm advection and PVA will likely bring a burst of snow to east central WI, but this area of snow could expand to larger portions of srn WI. Snow accums would still likely remain on the light side. A quasi-zonal jet stream and relatively mild temperatures are then forecast for the remainder of the new week. Mostly dry conditions are forecast, but cannot rule out small chances for precipitation at times due to weak shortwave troughs within the zonal flow.

Gehring

AVIATION

Issued 918 PM CST Thu Jan 1 2026

The low ceilings in the 3000 to 4000 foot AGL range are hanging tough across the region this evening. They may not start to scatter out until toward Friday morning. Thus, will keep these ceilings in TAFs until around 09Z Friday, then have it scattering out into Friday morning. There is uncertainty with this, and the cloud deck could linger into Friday morning. There are also some flurries that may clip Sheboygan overnight, but no visibility reductions are expected.

Once skies do scatter out, it should remain so into the rest of Friday, with some middle to high clouds moving in Friday evening. Light west northwest winds are expected overnight, with light to modest northwest winds on Friday. These winds will become light again Friday evening.

Wood

MARINE

Issued 918 PM CST Thu Jan 1 2026

Brisk west northwest winds will continue into Friday, then lighter winds will take hold for the weekend. This will occur as deep low pressure around 28.9 inches continues to gradually weaken over Hudson Bay, while a ridge of high pressure around 30.1 inches extends from Minnesota into the Ohio Valley. Moderate freezing spray will continue over eastern portions of the lake into Friday morning.

Gehring/Wood

MKX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

WI...None. LM...None.