Milwaukee is getting the full four-seasons-in-a-week treatment. As of 5:35 a.m. CDT Thursday, March 12, Mitchell Airport was reporting mostly clear skies and about 30°F. We still get a decent slice of sunshine this afternoon with highs near 43°F, but a fast-moving system is on deck to drag in rain and stronger winds late Thursday night, as reported by the National Weather Service.
Wind, Rain And The Overnight Commute
The National Weather Service has a Wind Advisory in place from 12:00 a.m. Friday, March 13 through 6:00 p.m. Friday, March 13. Forecasters are calling for southwesterly winds of 10–25 mph late Thursday into the overnight, with gusts near 45 mph and stronger west winds taking over Friday.
Rain is likely between about 7 p.m. and 5 a.m., dropping around a tenth to a quarter of an inch. Those overnight showers can help mix stronger winds down to the surface, so it could feel extra gusty at times, and the combination of wet pavement and reduced visibility will not be doing late-night drivers any favors.
Friday Commute
Friday looks flat-out blustery. West winds are expected to run 20–30 mph with the potential for locally stronger gusts near 50–55 mph in exposed areas. High-profile vehicles, bridges and lakeshore drives will be the touchiest spots. Blowing debris, downed limbs and a few isolated outages are all on the table.
If you can, give yourself extra time for the Friday commute and do a quick sweep for loose outdoor items before the big gusts arrive. Lawn chairs and trash bins make terrible projectiles.
Weekend Outlook — Snow Possible
A stronger, colder system is lining up for Saturday night into Sunday, and forecasters say accumulating snow is increasingly likely across parts of the region. The National Weather Service forecast discussion notes there is still uncertainty in the exact storm track, but current guidance includes pockets of 4–8 inches Saturday night, another 3–5 inches Sunday, and areas that could see 7–11 inches Sunday night depending on where the low ultimately travels.
That wide range means some neighborhoods could be breaking out the snow shovels while others get “just” a slick drive and messy sidewalks. The takeaway: keep checking updates through Friday and Saturday as the track firms up.
Local Events And What To Watch
This weekend’s downtown St. Patrick’s Day plans, including the Shamrock Club parade on Saturday, are now squarely in the storm’s crosshairs if the track trends colder and heavier snow bands slide south. We broke down the setup earlier this week in our look at storms, slush and St. Paddy’s plans; this update picks up the story with the Wind Advisory now posted and the weekend timing sharpened by the NWS.
If you are heading downtown for parade events, it is worth having a backup plan and checking for status updates before you go.
Bottom line for now: secure patio furniture and trash bins tonight, plan on slower travel Friday, and keep up with the latest forecasts before heading out. Local transit and school-district decisions may shift as the weekend system approaches, so keep an eye on official channels for the most current watches, warnings and advisories.
