textproduct: Milwaukee/Sullivan

KEY MESSAGES

- A strong cold front will continue through the area this morning, with areas of moderate snow showers. Minor accumulations are expected.

- Cold and windy today; continued cold with chances (60-80%) for light accumulating snow tomorrow night.

- Cold temperatures continue into next week, with several additional chances for light snow showers.

SHORT TERM

Issued 239 AM CST Wed Jan 14 2026

Today through Thursday Night:

The Arctic front is making quick progress southward early this morning, and should sweep across all of southern Wisconsin by 8 or 9 AM. An area of mainly snow showers (though with a few reports of rain right at onset) along and just behind the front will progress southward as well. Not expecting any meaningful accumulation from these snow showers, but rates may briefly be moderate in nature, causing a few slick spots as well as reduced visibility.

Temperatures will continue to fall through the mid morning hours, with temperatures holding steady in the upper teens and low 20s for a few hours, before falling again tonight. Northwest winds will gust to around 30 MPH for much of the day, keeping wind chills in the low single digits.

Once this morning's snow shower activity pushes south of the area, that should be it for precipitation through tonight, with any lake effect snow expected to remain offshore.

Winds will ease tonight as high pressure begins to push in from the west. Look for lows to fall into the single digits under clearing skies.

Temperatures will remain in the 20s for highs on Thursday, but it will be much less windy. By late Thursday afternoon and evening, warm advection ahead of the next shortwave should provide sufficient lift to generate light precipitation across the area, though there are some questions regarding the amount of moisture that will be available. This will not only affect the amount of QPF at the surface, but cloud ice issues may come into play if the moisture is not sufficiently deep. For now have snow in the forecast, with around a tenth of an inch of liquid equivalent resulting in an inch to inch and a half of snow. However, if the drier/more shallow moisture scenario plays out, some freezing drizzle could mix in at times Thursday evening.

Boxell

LONG TERM

Issued 239 AM CST Wed Jan 14 2026

Friday through Tuesday:

A persistent stretch of deep cyclonic flow aloft takes hold Friday into next week. This will result in numerous shortwave passages and associated potential for snow showers through the weekend. Highs will briefly rebound into the low 30s on Friday, but much colder air aloft arrives Saturday, continuing into next week. This will favor highs in the teens and lows around zero (potentially lower depending on snowpack). Heavy snow is not expected during this period, but the scattered snow showers may collectively generate an inch or two of fresh snow through the weekend.

Boxell

AVIATION

Issued 239 AM CST Wed Jan 14 2026

Winds will become increasingly gusty from the northwest this morning as a strong cold front moves through the area. An area of snow showers along and just behind this front will impact the terminals as well, particularly the eastern sites. Brief reductions to IFR visibility is expected with any snow showers.

Snow showers will end from north to south this morning, with conditions improving to VFR later this morning. Gusty northwest winds will continue into this evening.

Boxell

MARINE

Issued 239 AM CST Wed Jan 14 2026

North gales to 40 knots are expected across the lake through the the evening hours today. Moderate to occasionally heavy freezing spray is also expected, particularly over the northern portion of the lake.

By late tonight, high pressure around 30.3 inches will build into the Plains, and eventually cross the Upper Great Lakes on Thursday. Low pressure around 29.4 inches will cross Lake Superior on Friday, and stall over the lower Great Lakes Saturday while weakening to around 29.5 inches. Colder air on the back side of the low will overspread Lake Michigan on gusty west winds on Saturday and Sunday. Freezing spray will remain a concern given the very cold temperatures.

Boxell

MKX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

WI...None. LM...Small Craft Advisory...LMZ643-LMZ644-LMZ645-LMZ646 until 3 AM Wednesday.

Gale Warning...LMZ643-LMZ644-LMZ645-LMZ646 until 9 PM Wednesday.

Gale Warning...LMZ261-LMZ362-LMZ364-LMZ366-LMZ563-LMZ565 until midnight Thursday.

Gale Warning...LMZ080-LMZ567-LMZ669-LMZ671-LMZ673-LMZ675- LMZ777-LMZ779-LMZ868-LMZ870-LMZ872-LMZ874-LMZ876-LMZ878 until midnight Thursday.