Next 12 Hours
Southern Wisconsin will suffer through another gloomy day Tuesday, before the sun finally returns Wednesday and temperatures begin rising from the 60s to the 70s to possibly even cracking 80, according to forecasters.
Several rivers across east central and southeast Wisconsin will remain above flood stage through mid-week, including the Sheboygan, Fox, Root and Milwaukee, the National Weather Service said.
In Madison on Tuesday, look for areas of drizzle, patchy fog before noon, otherwise cloudy skies, a high near 57 and northeast winds around 15 miles per hour.
After an overnight low around 50, Wednesday’s forecast features mostly cloudy skies gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 68 and east winds at 5 to 15 mph.
After a low overnight Wednesday into Thursday around 50, Thursday should be mostly sunny, with a high near 70 and east winds at 5 to 10 mph.
The Weather Service said chances for showers and thunderstorms return at 20% Friday night, 50% Saturday through Sunday night, and 60% Monday.
Skies over Madison should be partly sunny Friday, mostly cloudy Saturday, mostly sunny Sunday, and mostly cloudy Monday, with highs near 74, 77, 81 and 79, and lows Thursday night through Sunday night around 56, 59, 62 and 64.
27 Storm Track meteorologist Max Tsaparis forecasts isolated sprinkles Tuesday morning, sunshine returning Wednesday, an isolated storm possible Saturday, and a few storms possible Sunday and Monday.
Tsaparis said highs for Madison Tuesday through Memorial Day should be near 64, 70, 72, 73, 76, 79 and 78, and overnight lows around 50, 48, 53, 57, 59, 60 and 58.
Monday’s high in Madison was 55 at 1:19 p.m., 14 degrees below the normal high and 36 degrees below the record high of 91 for May 18, set in 1934.
Monday’s low in Madison was 50 at 11:59 p.m., 3 degrees below the normal low and 22 degrees above the record low of 28 for May 18, set in 2002.
Officially, 0.04 inches of precipitation was recorded at the Dane County Regional Airport on Monday, boosting Madison’s May precipitation total (rain plus snow converted to liquid) to 3.16 inches, 1.2 inches above normal. The meteorological spring (March through May) total rose to 8.67 inches, 1.11 inches above normal. The 2020 total rose to 11.35 inches, 1.11 inches above normal.
Madison’s record precipitation for May 18 is 2.09 inches in 2000.
With no snow on Monday, Madison’s May total stayed at zero, 0.2 inches below normal. The meteorological spring total stayed at 3 inches, 6.8 inches below normal. For the snow season (since July 1), Madison has received 53.7 inches, 2.8 inches above normal.
There has never been snow on May 18 in Madison.
Photos: Remembering the monster blizzard of 1947 in Madison
View toward the Capitol
The view toward the Capitol from Monona Avenue (now Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.) at Doty Street after a blizzard buried the area in 13.5 inches of snow on Jan. 30, 1947.
Shoveling out cars
Dave Brown, left, and Bill Pedder shovel out cars parked on South Carroll Street on the Capitol Square, charging $1.50 and up, Jan. 30, 1947. Photo by State Journal photographer Arthur Vinje.
Car snowed under
Robert Ernst, 207 W. Washington Ave., an airport weather communications employee, tries to shovel his car out of a snow drift Jan. 30, 1947. Photo by State Journal photographer Arthur Vinje.
Heavy blanket of snow
Heavy snow blankets cars in a parking lot at West Washington Avenue and Fairchild Street the morning after a snowstorm Jan. 30, 1947. Photo by State Journal photographer Arthur Vinje.
Looking west on West Doty Street
Looking west along the first block of West Doty Street on Jan. 30, 1947. Photo by State Journal photographer Arthur Vinje.
State Journal front page Jan. 30, 1947
Wisconsin State Journal front page from Jan. 30, 1947.
Jeff Richgels
Online Reporter/Producer for Wisconsin State Journal
