539  
FXUS63 KMKX 160557  
AFDMKX  
 
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI  
1257 AM CDT THU JUL 16 2026  
   
KEY MESSAGES
 
 
- HOT AND HUMID CONDITIONS CONTINUE THROUGH FRIDAY, BUT NOT  
QUITE AS HOT AS THE LAST COUPLE DAYS.  
 
- ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM CHANCES ALONG  
AND WEST OF I-90 CORRIDOR THURSDAY AFTERNOON.  
 
- WILDFIRE SMOKE FROM ACROSS NORTHERN MN AND NORTHWESTERN  
ONTARIO WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THURSDAY CONTRIBUTING TO  
UNHEALTHY AIR QUALITY. WI DNR ISSUED AIR QUALITY ALERT FOR  
ALL SOUTHERN WI THROUGH THURSDAY FOR UNHEALTHY TO VERY  
UNHEALTHY CONDITIONS.  
 
- SHOWER AND STORM CHANCES GRADUALLY INCREASE FOR THE END OF THE  
WEEK INTO THE WEEKEND ALONG WITH CLOSER TO NORMAL TEMPS.  
 

 
   
SHORT TERM
 
 
ISSUED 1257 AM CDT THU JUL 16 2026  
 
TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY:  
 
AREAS OF SMOKE ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TONIGHT INTO THURSDAY  
ACROSS SOUTHERN WISCONSIN. VISIBILITIES OF 3-6 MILES ARE LIKELY  
AND MAY DIP TO 1-3 MILES AT TIMES. THE LATEST HRRR NEAR SURFACE  
SMOKE SUGGESTS SOME IMPROVEMENT POSSIBLE BY TOMORROW AFTERNOON  
ALONG AND SOUTHWEST OF A LINE FROM THE WISCONSIN DELLS TO  
BURLINGTON. ON THE OTHER HAND, THE HRRR IS SHOWING A POTENTIAL  
SURGE OF MORE SMOKE FROM THE EAST/NORTHEAST IN THE AFTERNOON,  
WHICH COULD KEEP THE SMOKE GOING TOWARDS THE LAKE. BY FRIDAY,  
SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP, WHICH SHOULD RESULT  
IN A BREAK IN THE SMOKE IN AT LEAST THE LOWER LEVELS.  
 
HOT AND HUMID CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO PERSIST THURSDAY AND  
FRIDAY, THOUGH LIKELY A FEW DEGREES SHY OF THE TEMPS FROM THE  
LAST COUPLE DAYS. ADDITIONALLY, IT'S UNCERTAIN HOW MUCH SMOKE  
WILL IMPACT THE HIGHS THURSDAY, SO KEPT THE FORECAST NEAR THE  
MIDDLE OF MODEL SOLUTIONS.  
 
ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE TOMORROW  
AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING, PARTICULARLY ALONG/SOUTHWEST OF A  
LINE FROM THE WISCONSIN DELLS TO JANESVILLE. THIS AREA WILL BE  
ON THE HIGHER DEWPOINT SIDE OF A MOISTURE BOUNDARY AND WILL ALSO  
HAVE THE BEST CHANCE TO SEE A REDUCTION IN SMOKE AND THEREFORE  
MORE HEATING/INSTABILITY. SCATTERED SHOWERS/STORMS WILL BE  
POSSIBLE ON FRIDAY AS WELL. COULD SEE BRIEF DOWNPOURS BOTH THU  
AND FRI WITH PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES AROUND 1.75".  
 
DDV  
 

 
   
LONG TERM
 
 
ISSUED 1257 AM CDT THU JUL 16 2026  
 
SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY:  
 
A COLD FRONT WILL DROP THROUGH DURING THE DAY SATURDAY AND MAY  
BRING SCATTERED STORMS TO SOUTHERN WISCONSIN. LATEST MODEL  
TRENDS KEEP THE HIGHER PRECIP CHANCES SOUTH AND EAST, THOUGH. IT  
WILL BE WARM AND HUMID AGAIN SATURDAY. WITH COOLER AND DRIER  
CONDITIONS NOT EXPECTED TO ARRIVE UNTIL AT LEAST THE EVENING  
HOURS. DRY WEATHER AND NEAR NORMAL TEMPS ARE THEN EXPECTED  
SUNDAY UNDER HIGH PRESSURE.  
 
ANOTHER LOW AND FRONT WILL BRING STORM CHANCES ON MONDAY ALONG  
WITH BRIEFLY WARMER AND MORE HUMID CONDITIONS AHEAD OF THE  
FRONT. HIGH PRESSURE WILL FOLLOW THIS SYSTEM, WITH NEAR NORMAL  
TEMPS AND DRY WEATHER LIKELY FOR TUE AND WED.  
 
DDV  
 

 
   
AVIATION
 
 
ISSUED 1257 AM CDT THU JUL 16 2026  
 
COULD SEE A SHOWER OR TWO OVERNIGHT, BUT OTHERWISE DRY WEATHER  
IS EXPECTED. ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL BE  
POSSIBLE TOMORROW AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING, MAINLY ALONG AND  
SOUTHWEST OF A LINE FROM THE WISCONSIN DELLS TO BURLINGTON.  
 
THE OTHER FOCUS FOR THE OVERNIGHT HOURS INTO THURSDAY WILL BE  
TRACKING THE PROGRESSION OF SMOKE FROM CANADIAN WILDFIRES INTO  
SOUTHERN WISCONSIN. MUCH OF THE FORECAST AREA WILL EXPERIENCE  
AT LEAST SOME SURFACE SMOKE TONIGHT INTO THURSDAY. VISIBILITIES  
COULD DROP AS LOW AS 1-3 MILES IN AREAS THAT DO SEE THE SMOKE.  
VISIBILITIES MAY IMPROVE DURING THE DAY TOMORROW, ESPECIALLY  
FROM MADISON SOUTHWESTWARD, THOUGH THERE COULD BE ANOTHER SURGE  
OF SMOKE FROM THE NORTHEAST IN THE AFTERNOON.  
 
DDV  
 

 
   
MARINE
 
 
ISSUED 1257 AM CDT THU JUL 16 2026  
 
A BACK DOOR COLD FRONT HAS BROUGHT A NORTHERLY WIND SHIFT  
ACROSS THE LAKE WHICH WILL CONTINUE INTO THURSDAY. ADDITIONAL  
SEEING WILDFIRE SMOKE FROM NORTHERN MN AND NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO  
REDUCING VISIBILITY ACROSS THE NORTHERN THIRD OF THE OPEN WATERS  
TO 1 NM OR LESS AT TIMES LIKELY INTO THURSDAY. THUS A MARINE  
DENSE SMOKE ADVISORY CONTINUES. SMOKE IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TO  
SPREAD SOUTHWARD, BUT UNCERTAIN ON HOW LOW VISIBILITIES WILL  
FALL FOR THE SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF LAKE MICHIGAN. WILL CONTINUE  
TO MONITOR IF AN EXPANSION OF THE ADVISORY WILL BE NEEDED.  
 
OTHERWISE, LIGHTER WINDS EXPECTED AGAIN ON THURSDAY AS ANOTHER HIGH  
PRESSURE AROUND 30.1 INCHES BRIEFLY BUILDS BACK INTO THE REGION  
BEFORE INFLUENCE FROM A LOW PRESSURE AROUND 29.7 INCHES DEVELOPING  
OVER THE NORTHERN PLAINS PUSHES EASTWARD THROUGH THE WEEKEND  
BRINGING MORE SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW FOR FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY. THEN AS  
THE LOW TRACKING NORTHEASTWARD, IT WILL DRAG A COLD FRONT ACROSS THE  
LAKE RESULTING IN NORTHERLY WIND SHIFT THROUGH THE DAY SATURDAY WITH  
ANOTHER HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING OVER THE REGION FOR SUNDAY.  
ADDITIONALLY WILL SEE PERIODIC SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM CHANCES  
ACROSS THE LAKE FOR THE END OF THE WEEK THROUGH THE WEEKEND.  
 
DDV  
 

 
   
MKX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
 
 
WI...NONE.  
LM...NONE.  

 
 

 
 
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