Milwaukee is waking up under clear skies and temps near 60°F, but the calm start will not last long. Sunshine sticks around into the afternoon with a high near 79°F, and west winds will crank up enough to get your attention, with gusts pushing up to 30 mph. The next organized round of thunderstorms is expected to roll in Saturday afternoon into Saturday evening.
Afternoon Winds And Boating
By this afternoon, west winds are expected to strengthen to 10–15 mph, with gusts up to 30 mph that can jostle lawn furniture and make biking across high bridges a bit of a workout. A Small Craft Advisory is posted for the nearshore waters of Lake Michigan into early Friday, so boaters and paddle-sport users should time trips carefully and keep a close eye on the water and sky, according to the National Weather Service.
Saturday Storms Could Turn Severe
A cold front sliding in on Saturday will drag higher humidity into the area, setting the stage for showers and thunderstorms Saturday afternoon and evening. Forecasters say some storms could pack a punch, with the potential for damaging wind gusts and large hail, and heavier bands of rain may move through Saturday night, with localized totals of a few tenths of an inch possible.
Plan Ahead
If you have outdoor plans lined up, it is a good idea to secure loose items, keep an eye on the sky, and have a dry backup plan for Saturday evening events in case storms fire up at the wrong time. For boating, check marine conditions before launching and see our Brew City forecast breakdown for neighborhood context and tips on timing outings.
