textproduct: Milwaukee/Sullivan

KEY MESSAGES

- An Arctic airmass settles in this weekend with wind chills ranging from -10F to -30F late tonight through Sunday night. - Next week temps return to near normal with daytime temps around to above freezing by midweek.

UPDATE

Issued 825 PM CST Fri Dec 12 2025

Light snow is occurring along the leading edge of the arctic front, which is reducing visibility down to 3 miles at times. This will persist for about two hours until the dry air works its way in and scours out the low clouds. The exception will be toward central WI where low clouds (and the potential for flurries) should linger a little longer. A dusting of snow is possible and no travel impacts are expected.

Gusty westerly winds will arrive shortly after the snow begins. Much colder and drier air is moving in overnight. The Cold Weather Advisory remains in effect.

Cronce

SHORT TERM

Issued 307 PM CST Fri Dec 12 2025

Tonight through Saturday night:

The band of light snow is trucking on through the area this afternoon. Given it is a fairly narrow band and quick movement with light rates, expect a dusting to at most a few tenths of an inch. Areas outside of the main band may see a few flurries as well. Otherwise, expect the light band to push out over Lake Michigan by early evening between 22z-00z.

Behind the light band of snow then will see west-northwesterly winds gradually pick up behind the frontal passage and will begin to see temps drop as that Arctic airmass advects in overnight. Will see temps bottom out to around zero where clouds lingering, especially along the WI/IL border, while colder sub- zero temps expected further north. After midnight is we begin to see wind chills dip even further with negative teens along WI/IL border and dipping below -20F for areas north in Saturday morning. While winds stay brisk into Saturday, not expecting much relief from these biting wind chills during the day time hours with only a few hour window in the afternoon where they creep above cold weather advisory criteria before falling even colder Saturday night into Sunday. Thus have elected to extend the Cold weather Advisory from midnight tonight through 10 AM Sunday for the northern 3/4 of the CWA.

For those remaining counties along the WI/IL border that stay just above advisory criteria (-10F to -18F) tonight and Saturday, expect them to fall around/below -20F wind chills Saturday evening as the Arctic High builds eastward into Sunday. Thus a Cold Weather Advisory for the counties along the Cheddar Curtain begin 6 PM Saturday to 10 AM Sunday.

While the main focus will be the bitter cold this weekend, there is another potential for our southern portion of the CWA to see another round of light snow as the mid-level lobe of vorticity works its way through the area Saturday afternoon. However, will be light and confined toward the WI/IL border if anything should sneak its way north with little to any accumulations. Wagner

LONG TERM

Issued 307 PM CST Fri Dec 12 2025

Sunday through Friday:

Will finally see a bit of relief Sunday afternoon as winds weaken with the +1040mb surface high building more into the Upper Midwest. However, still expecting single digit to low teens highs and below zero wind chills through Sunday afternoon. Then another night of wind chills back into the negative teens, but generally should remain above cold weather advisory thresholds.

Early next week continue to look milder as upper-level ridging replaces the weekend's Arctic air. Monday will see daytime temps rebound back into the 20s with above freezing temps Tuesday through midweek. There is also the potential to see above normal temps cracking into the 40s Wednesday as WI sits in the warm sector of a midweek system. Long range models seem to be in general agreement on this mid week system bringing increased precip chances ranging from rain to snow and wintry mix, but also for temps to cool back toward normal toward the end of the week.Wagner

AVIATION

Issued 825 PM CST Fri Dec 12 2025

The arctic front is tracking across southern WI this evening. Expect a brief (up to 2 hours) period of light snow with reduced visibility down to 3 miles at times and ceilings between 1300 and 2500 ft. A dusting of snow is possible. Gusty westerly winds will kick in shortly after the snow begins and usher much colder and drier air into the region. Low clouds will clear rather quickly tonight, although areas toward central WI will remain under low clouds (and potential flurries) longer than southern WI near the IL border. MSN and MKE will be on the border of clouds and no clouds, so confidence in the timing of clearing is lower.

Cronce

MARINE

Issued 307 PM CST Fri Dec 12 2025

Westerly winds will gradually increase tonight with the passage of the Arctic front across the Lake as low pressure works its way east across central Ontario tonight. Brisk northwesterly winds up 30 knots will continue overnight through Saturday night as high pressure builds across the Upper Midwest. Given the bitter cold Arctic airmass and winds, expecting to see moderate to heavy freezing spray begin tonight through Sunday morning. Will see winds gradually ease through the day Sunday as the high pressure moves south and east of lake Michigan into early next week. Then winds shift more southerly and ramp back up early next week as temps warm back up.

Wagner

MKX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

WI...Cold Weather Advisory...WIZ046-WIZ047-WIZ051-WIZ052-WIZ056- WIZ057-WIZ058-WIZ059-WIZ060-WIZ063-WIZ064-WIZ065- WIZ066...midnight Saturday to 10 AM Sunday.

Cold Weather Advisory...WIZ062-WIZ067-WIZ068-WIZ069-WIZ070- WIZ071-WIZ072...6 PM Saturday to 10 AM Sunday.

LM...Heavy Freezing Spray Warning...LMZ080-LMZ261-LMZ362-LMZ364- LMZ366-LMZ563-LMZ565-LMZ567-LMZ669-LMZ671-LMZ673-LMZ675- LMZ777-LMZ779-LMZ868-LMZ870-LMZ872-LMZ874-LMZ876- LMZ878...midnight Saturday to 9 AM Sunday.

Small Craft Advisory...LMZ643-LMZ644 until noon Sunday.

Small Craft Advisory...LMZ645-LMZ646 until noon Sunday.