975 FXUS63 KMKX 051955 AFDMKXArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan WI 255 PM CDT Sun Oct 5 2025
.KEY MESSAGES...
- Showers (40 to 80 percent) and a few thunderstorms are forecast later tonight into Monday night with a slow-moving cold frontal passage. The highest chances would be Monday night in far southeast Wisconsin.
- Gale Warning remains in effect for the northern one third of Lake Michigan open waters later this afternoon through this evening.
- A Small Craft Advisory remains in effect into early Monday morning for gusty south winds and building waves along Lake Michigan.
- Cooler, more seasonal and closer to normal temperatures return for the middle of the week.
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.SHORT TERM... Issued 255 PM CDT Sun Oct 5 2025
Tonight through Monday night:
Gusty south winds will linger into early this evening, as the pressure gradient remains tight and low level mixing continues. Gusts of 30 to 35 MPH are expected at times. The winds should slowly weaken this evening and overnight, as the cold front approaches from the northwest.
Models continue to bring the cold front southeast toward the northwest parts of the area later tonight and through the area on Monday, shifting southeast by Monday evening. Showers (40 to 60 percent chances) and a few storms should gradually weaken as they shift southeast into northwest parts of the area later tonight into Monday morning. A lull in the activity is then expected Monday morning.
More showers (30 to 50 percent chances) and a few storms develop in southeast parts of the area Monday afternoon and shift southeast during the evening. The areal coverage of the showers may be greatest Monday evening, which has the highest forecast PoPs (40 to 80 percent) at this time.
However, there is not much upward vertical motion besides the low level frontogenesis response and perhaps some upper divergence to work with. Forecast soundings are showing just enough moisture, and instability is fairly weak in the southeast parts of the area Monday afternoon.
CAMs have scattered showers and some storms developing by later Monday afternoon mainly around or just southeast of the Kenosha County area. For now, will leave in the higher PoPs Monday night in the southeast, but may need some adjustment downward in later forecasts, depending on where the development occurs.
Temperatures will remain warm ahead of the front tonight into Monday, with 70s to near 80 degrees in southeast Wisconsin. Temperatures should be in the 60s behind the front on Monday. Cold air advection on weakening north to northwest winds Monday night should bring in more seasonable temperatures.
Wood
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.LONG TERM... Issued 255 PM CDT Sun Oct 5 2025
Tuesday through Sunday:
Generally west northwest flow at 500 mb is anticipated across the region for the middle to later portions of the week per cluster analysis forecasts, with positive anomalies over most of the north central parts of the country. Strong high pressure should shift slowly east across the region Tuesday into Wednesday night and Thursday, which should bring dry conditions and temperatures closer to seasonal normal values.
Ensembles are suggesting above normal temperatures returning to the region later in the week and into next weekend, as a 500 mb ridge axis shifts into the region. The signal for precipitation during this period is weak, so the current small chances (20 percent or so) for showers later in the week may not materialize.
Wood
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.AVIATION... Issued 255 PM CDT Sun Oct 5 2025
South winds will continue into early this evening, with gusts up to 25 to 28 knots at times. The south winds may turn more south southeast along the Lake Michigan shore, though the south winds should linger at Sheboygan, Milwaukee and Kenosha.
South winds will linger this evening ahead of the approaching cold front, with low level wind shear conditions expected with 2000 foot AGL winds from the south southwest around 40 to 45 knots. Winds will weaken and shift northwest to north Monday, as the front moves southeast through the area.
Showers and a few storms should gradually weaken as they shift southeast into northwest parts of the area later tonight into Monday morning. A lull in the activity is then expected, before more showers and a few storms develop in southeast parts of the area Monday afternoon and shift southeast during the evening. May see locally reduced visibility values with any showers and storms. A period of ceilings of 1000 to 2000 feet AGL may occur Monday with the frontal passage.
Wood
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.MARINE... Issued 255 PM CDT Sun Oct 5 2025
Gusty south winds are expected across Lake Michigan into tonight, as strengthening low pressure around 29.3 inches moves northeast into Ontario. The strongest winds will be across the northern third of the open waters, where gale force gusts are expected. A Gale Warning remains in effect for this area.
Otherwise, the rest of the lake will see southerly gusts up to 30 knots into tonight. A Small Craft Advisory is in effect for the nearshore waters of Lake Michigan into tonight, for gusty south winds and building waves.
Winds are expected to shift to the southwest and gradually weaken into early Monday morning, ahead of an approaching cold front.
A northerly wind shift is expected through the day Monday behind the cold front, and is expected to push south of Lake Michigan by Monday night. High pressure around 30.4 inches should quickly build in behind the cold front for Tuesday into Wednesday, bringing light winds.
Wood
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.MKX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WI...None. LM...Gale Warning...LMZ261-LMZ362-LMZ364-LMZ563 until 2 AM Monday.
Small Craft Advisory...LMZ643 until 7 AM Monday.
Small Craft Advisory...LMZ644-LMZ645-LMZ646 until 4 AM Monday.
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NWS MKX Office Area Forecast Discussion