As heavy rainfall and thunderstorms roll into Milwaukee, residents are bracing for a good soaking and some potential thunderboomers. According to the National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan, there's a 90% chance that we're all going to need our umbrellas today, with new rainfall amounts between a quarter and half an inch possible. The conditions are expected to persist into the evening, so don't expect to put those raincoats away just yet.
But it's not only about the rain – the weather has a few more tricks up its sleeve. As if to defiantly make outdoor activities even more challenging, patchy smoke will drift into the area tomorrow afternoon, reducing air quality and visibility. It's all thanks to Canadian wildfires, which seem determined to negatively impact air quality for sensitive groups. In fact, the air has been officially graded as "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" (USG) to "Unhealthy" by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and this advisory is set to linger until noon tomorrow, as per NWS.
In addition to the inland hazards, those planning on hitting the beaches along Lake Michigan might want to reconsider. The NWS warns of "life threatening waves of 3 to 5 feet and dangerous currents" as a part of their Beach Hazards Statement. These conditions apply to Sheboygan, Ozaukee, Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha Counties, essentially putting a damper on any planned aquatic recreations starting this afternoon and continuing through late tomorrow night.
The outlook beyond these immediate concerns promises a brief reprieve of less dramatic weather, with sunny skies and a high near 74 forecasted for Friday. However, residents should be mindful that the potential for smoke to drift down again on Friday could deteriorously impact air quality before the weekend.
