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Thank you for stopping by the Weather Watch 12 blog! The longest dry spell in Milwaukee since March is upon us. Great news as the biggest music festival of the year begins on Wednesday…Summerfest.
Back on March 10-19 Milwaukee recorded 10 consecutive dry days. Tuesday will mark day number 5 without rain in Milwaukee. That streak should last at least another couple of days.
The dry weather through Wednesday will be accompanied by comfortable highs in the 70s. Average highs are now around 80 degrees, so we will be very seasonal heading into mid-week. Below is the forecast surface map on Wednesday. The big ‘H’ over the western Great Lakes should make everyone happy!
As the warm front ‘shown in red above’ marches into the Midwest by Thursday it will turn warmer and also more humid. With increased moisture and heat, along with a front around, some isolated showers and storms may pop up late Thursday into Friday. Again it is tough to pinpoint where any showers may develop, so don’t cancel any plans later this week.
In fact, I would make plans to hit the pool or beach by Friday, as highs will jump to around 90 in southeast Wisconsin. It will be our first true taste of heat since we saw three straight record highs in early June. By Thursday the heat will be sizzling the Plains. Look at the NAM temperature forecast map below. Highs in central Kansas will jump to 110 or higher!
The 90s on the map below will extend into southern Canada.
For this week I’m highly confident on nice weather for Tuesday-Wednesday…and for part of Thursday. Also confident in a very warm/hot Friday. Confidence is lower for a chance of showers later Thursday into Friday. Make sure to watch WISN 12 News for the updates on rain chances this week.
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Have a great day!
Jeremy Nelson
WeatherWatch 12 
We are preparing to spontaniously combust here in the central Plains. If we do manage to avoid the 115 degree heat, we must settle for 95 degrees with 80 degree dewpoints. Not sure which is better. Enjoy the weekend in Milwaukee!
That sounds like some down-right nasty and dangerous weather! Take care!
Tony (Pl. Prairie)
As the ‘signature storm’ approaches, I think it’s a good lesson on how the cycling patterns change through the seasons. It’s evident that the feature exists and a ridge is setting up in relatively the same spot in similar type seasons like May and Sep if you believe we can go that far back.
I like Sep 10 and Thursdays forecast 500mb maps.
http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/dailywxmap/dwm_500ht_20100910.html
The opening day of Summerfest has had mostly good weather since the infamous 49 degree rainy opening day in 2004. Tomorrow through Friday sound good. Friday night might be a classic muggy night when it’s still about 80 at 10:00 p.m…..bring it on! I’m a little concerned that the projected highs for this weekend may be too high. It looks like a warm front will be setting up to the south with waves of rain/thunderstorms moving along it, The clouds,rain and easterly winds often found north of a warm front could mean 60s or low 70s instead of 80s..
Tom Skilling in Chicago is suggesting the potential for 100 degree temps down in Chicago which would probably mean at least mid 90s here and sometimes when we get those really hot and humid days, the temps are still near 90 late in the evening so you may get more than your wish Friday night.
As for the weekend… now that it is July and the lake temps aren’t nearly as cold as they have been, the effect of winds off the lake would not be like they were in spring and early summer. A good example of that was on Sunday when even with SE winds, Mitchell airport stayed in the 70s most of the afternoon.
I think 80s look good for the weekend right now. Obviously if a shower or storm would occur temps will be cooler, but right now the rain does not look to be widespread. Should be a warm 4th of July weekend.
Jeremy