textproduct: Milwaukee/Sullivan

KEY MESSAGES

- Milder conditions are expected today, with highs into the 60s most places, possibly pushing 70 south and west of Madison.

- A cold front will drop through the area Thursday, resulting in cooler conditions arriving by afternoon along with a chance (30-50%) for rain showers in the afternoon. A few rumbles of thunder will be possible as well, mainly south of I-94.

- Cooler conditions will persist Friday, with warming temperatures then expected over the weekend into early next week.

UPDATE

Issued 653 AM CDT Wed Mar 25 2026

Light southwest winds this morning as slowing starting to increase as warm air advection kicks in. The filtered sunlight through the high level clouds and the persistent WAA will cause temperatures to climb into the mid 50s to upper 60s. Southwestern Wisconsin may crack 70 degrees if they get a couple hours of clear skies. No major changes to the forecast for today.

Patterson

SHORT TERM

Issued 1126 PM CDT Tue Mar 24 2026

Tonight through Thursday:

Periods of mid and high level clouds will continue tonight into Wednesday under persistent warm air advection aloft and as a weak shortwave rolls through the area. South to southwest winds will increase Wed morning into the afternoon, which will combine with some filtered sunshine for above normal highs into the 60s most places. The winds may stay more southerly between Port Washington and Sheboygan, which would result in somewhat cooler conditions near the lake in these areas. The mildest temps today will likely be south and west of Madison where it may approach 70 given enough sunshine.

Light southerly winds will linger tonight ahead of an approaching cold front, with at least scattered clouds also expected. This will keep temps on the mild side overnight, with lows only dropping to the mid 40s to around 50. The cold front will then drop through the forecast area Thursday morning per latest model guidance, reaching the WI/IL border by around noon. Temps may have a couple hours to warm in the morning before the front moves through, with the warmest highs towards the state line farther ahead of the front. Temps are then expected to fall through the afternoon behind the front under breezy northerly winds. It still looks like there will be a chance for showers with the front, but the chance for thunderstorms is decreasing due to the faster frontal timing. Still not out of the question for a few rumbles of thunder mainly south of I-94 as the instability exits.

DDV

LONG TERM

Issued 1126 PM CDT Tue Mar 24 2026

Friday through Tuesday:

Dry weather is expected Friday through the weekend as high pressure moves through the region. Cooler conditions will linger into Friday, with highs ranging from 40 to 45, a few degrees below normal for late March. Southerly winds will then develop over the weekend behind the departing high, resulting in warming conditions. Above normal highs around 60 are expected by Sunday.

A warm front will become established in the region Monday and Tuesday ahead of an approaching low. There remains disagreement among models with how far north the front will make it, especially on Monday. By Tuesday, the bulk of guidance has the front most if not all of the way through the forecast area. The position of the front will greatly impact temperatures as well as shower/storm chances during this period. Overall though, it's looking generally milder and more active early next week, with plenty of time left to work out the finer forecast details for these days.

DDV

AVIATION

Issued 653 AM CDT Wed Mar 25 2026

Mostly VFR conditions expected through the period. High level clouds today will continue to filter in from the northwest as low pressure in the northern plains moves east. The light southwest winds this morning will gradually increase and become breezy by mid morning. Gusts up to 20 mph are expected through the late afternoon hours before winds weaken again. As winds weaken this evening, terminals near Lake Michigan could briefly get some southerly winds off the lake before sunset. Winds will weaken further tonight becoming light and variable for a couple hours.

The light southwest winds will remain into Thursday as a cold front approaches. As the cold front passes we could get some MVFR to IFR ceilings and visibilites. There is a 30-50% chance for rain with the passage of the cold front and southeastern Wisconsin could get a few rumbles of thunder. Winds will quickly turn to northerly behind the front and become breezy by Thursday afternoon.

Patterson

MARINE

Issued 1126 PM CDT Tue Mar 24 2026

Light east to southeast winds this evening will gradually pick up and become more southerly later tonight into Wednesday between high pressure of 30.5 inches over the Mid-Atlantic and low pressure of 29.6 inches traveling from the Northern Plains into Minnesota. Winds and waves will approach Small Craft Advisory levels Wednesday afternoon, but currently look like they will stay just under criteria.

A cold front will move southward across the lake Thursday morning into the afternoon, with increasing northerly winds expected behind the front. A period of gale force gusts is possible Thursday evening into early Thursday night, mainly across the southern half of the lake. There's increasing confidence that a Small Craft Advisory will be needed for this windier period, with the north-norhteast winds also building high waves.

Breezy west to northwest winds are likely to develop later Friday evening into Friday night in advance of high pressure of 30.7 inches approaching from the northwest. Winds may ease a bit by later Saturday as the high moves overhead, with breezy southerly winds then developing by Sunday behind the departing high and ahead of an approaching low.

DDV

MKX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

WI...None. LM...Gale Watch...LMZ080-LMZ366-LMZ565-LMZ567-LMZ669-LMZ671-LMZ673- LMZ675-LMZ777-LMZ779-LMZ868-LMZ870-LMZ872-LMZ874-LMZ876- LMZ878...5 PM Thursday to 5 AM Friday.