textproduct: Milwaukee/Sullivan

KEY MESSAGES

- Mild and breezy conditions are expected Friday

- A swath of light accumulating snow is possible on Saturday

- Near to below normal temperatures this weekend will be followed by gradually warming conditions the first half of next week

UPDATE

Issued 550 PM CST Wed Feb 25 2026

Winds will diminish quickly this evening as high pressure settles in and we decouple under clear skies. Temps will easily drop into the teens with the dry air in place, and single digits are likely toward central WI. The precip tracking across Iowa right now will remain to our south overnight, but some high clouds will spread into southern WI during the overnight hours and limit the degree of the radiational cooling.

Cronce

SHORT TERM

Issued 1254 PM CST Wed Feb 25 2026

Tonight through Thursday night:

Clouds have mainly cleared out early this afternoon as high pressure builds in from the northwest, with mostly clear skies expected through at least the evening hours. Clouds are expected to build back in from the west overnight into Thursday, as a weak shortwave moves through. Kept a only slight chance (~20%) of snow north of I-94 with this shortwave tomorrow, as the better forcing and moisture are expected to pass by to the north. Wouldn't be surprised at a few flurries during the morning hours though, given deep enough saturation at times along with weak lift. Southwest winds through the afternoon should allow for milder temps tomorrow, with highs reaching 40 most places.

DDV

LONG TERM

Issued 1254 PM CST Wed Feb 25 2026

Friday through Wednesday:

A brief warmup is expected Friday as southerly low level flow increases ahead of a low pressure system passing by well to the north. There should be enough sunshine to combine with the mild southwest winds for well above normal highs in the mid to upper 50s most places. The cold front associated with the low will move through late Friday afternoon and into evening, resulting in temps returning to around normal for Friday night and Saturday.

Another shortwave sliding through Saturday will bring a reinforcing shot of colder air along with a better chance for some light snow accumulations. Models are in good agreement showing an area of strong warm air advection and frontogenesis around 700 mb, which should produce a relatively narrow band of snow within the base of the quick moving trough. These situations are often tricky to pinpoint where the accumulating snow will set up, with north/south shifts likely in future model runs. Latest guidance is suggesting 1-2" of snow late morning through the afternoon within the swath of higher precip totals.

Dry weather is expected Sunday and Monday as high pressure moves through the region. Colder conditions Sunday behind the departing system will likely result in highs only topping out in the mid to upper 20s. Temps will begin to moderate Monday, with highs expected to reach the mid 30s.

Temperatures are expected to continue to climb through the first half of next week, with well above normal temps likely by Wednesday. Latest models suggest mainly dry weather Tue/Wed, though a shortwave Tuesday may bring some light precip chances to the area.

DDV

AVIATION

Issued 550 PM CST Wed Feb 25 2026

Light and variable winds are expected tonight. We are no longer expecting snow or flurries over southern/central WI on Thursday as the feature should remain to our north. Only mid and high level clouds are expected Thursday into Thursday evening.

Cronce

MARINE

Issued 1254 PM CST Wed Feb 25 2026

Breezy west to northwest winds will gradually ease late this afternoon into tonight as high pressure of 30.0 inches builds in from the northwest. South to southwest winds will then pick up later Thursday morning into Friday ahead of an approaching low and the departing high. A Small Craft Advisory may be needed during the day Friday, with a few gales not of question across northern portions of the lake later Friday into Friday night as a cold front moves through. Breezy northerly winds are then expected Saturday between departing low pressure and a strong high approaching from the northwest.

DDV

MKX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

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