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Weather can’t be used as an excuse to skip voting on Tuesday as gorgeous November weather takes over for southern Wisconsin, with plenty of sunshine and highs in the 60s on tap through the weekend, according to forecasters.
The major warmup will come as the jet stream sets up on a fairly flat west-to-east flow but more to the north than it typically is in early November, AccuWeather said.
"When the jet stream is forecast to be near the Canada border, big southward intrusions of cold air are unlikely and warmth is able to expand northward from the Southern states," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Brett Anderson said. "The setup for the weekend will allow very warm air for early November to build over much of the Central and Eastern states and even into part of south-central and southeastern Canada.”
In Madison on Tuesday, look for sunny skies, a high near 64 and southwest winds at 5 to 10 miles per hour increasing to 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon, the National Weather Service said.
After an overnight low around 46, Wednesday should be a carbon copy with sunny skies, a high near 64 and southwest winds around 10 mph.
An incoming cold front will send temperatures plummeting well below normal to close out the week; this harsh drop could also arrive with severe weather.
After a low overnight Wednesday into Thursday around 47, Thursday’s forecast features partly sunny skies gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 65 and southwest winds at 5 to 10 mph.
The Weather Service said chances for showers return at 30% Sunday night and 60% Monday.
Skies over Madison should be sunny Friday and Saturday, partly sunny Sunday and mostly cloudy Monday, with highs near 67, 66, 67 and 57, and lows Thursday night through Sunday night around 46, 52, 54 and 52.
27 Storm Track meteorologist Max Tsaparis also forecasts beautiful weather, with a chance for showers Monday and possible showers Monday night.
Tsaparis said highs for Madison Tuesday through Monday should be near 63, 65, 66, 68, 67, 65 and 59, and overnight lows around 45, 46, 48, 49, 52 and 49.
Monday’s high in Madison was 51 at 3:57 p.m., 1 degree below the normal high and 23 degrees below the record high of 74 for Nov. 2, set in 1938.
Monday’s low in Madison was 25 at 5:01 a.m., 9 degrees below the normal low and 14 degrees above the record low of 11 for Nov. 2, set in 1951.
Focus is shifting from Nicholas to the two looming worries in the Atlantic, one of which is nearby and could be named this week.
No precipitation was recorded at the Dane County Regional Airport on Monday, leaving Madison’s November precipitation total (rain plus snow converted to liquid) at a trace, 0.17 inches below normal. For meteorological fall (September through November), Madison has received 6.79 inches of precipitation, 1.09 inches above normal. For the year, Madison has received 35.94 inches of precipitation, 5.42 inches above normal.
Madison’s record precipitation for Nov. 2 is 1.41 inches in 2003.
With no snow on Monday, Madison’s November total stayed at a trace, 0.1 inches below normal. For meteorological fall (September through November) and the snow season (since July 1), Madison’s total stayed at 0.1 inches, 0.5 inches below normal.
Madison’s record snowfall for Nov. 2 is 0.4 inches in 1910.
Photos: A look back at the frigid 'polar vortex' of 2014
Photos: A look back at the frigid blast of 2014 caused by the 'polar vortex'
2014 polar vortex
Kristy Gruley of Madison is bundled against the cold weather while making her way along East Johnson Street on Jan. 3, 2014.
2014 polar vortex
Horses and other livestock need to keep warm, too. This group of coat-clad horses forage in a field at Sunrise Stables on Highway 138 outside of Oregon on Jan. 3, 2014. Experts say nutrition requirements for all livestock increase as the temperatures decrease.
2014 polar vortex
Madison resident John Morgan contends with the cold weather in Downtown Madison on Jan. 3, 2014.
2014 polar vortex
2014 polar vortex
Braving frigid temperatures, a man runs through a crosswalk at East Washington Avenue and Pinckney Street in Madison on Jan. 6, 2014.
2014 polar vortex
Troy Coogan, left, and Dave Laux, employees of Madison's water utility, shut off a water on the Far East Side on Jan. 6, 2014, after a main break. The utility kept busy, as its five crews dealt with nine water main breaks amid frigid temperatures.
2014 polar vortex
Steam rises from broken ground as Madison Water Utility crews dig around a water main break on Atlas Avenue in Madison on Jan. 6, 2014.
2014 polar vortex
Water gushes up from a water main break on Atlas Avenue in Madison on Jan. 6, 2014.
2014 polar vortex
With temperatures well below zero, Wisconsin & Southern Railway workers Stacey Hurda, left, and Brady Whipple work with bare hands to thaw a frozen power switch near John Nolen Drive in Downtown Madison on Jan. 6, 2014. A "polar vortex" of bitterly cold air closed schools and businesses in Madison and elsewhere Monday, and forced another day of closures Tuesday.
2014 polar vortex
Cindy Lundey walks to her job at UW-Madison's Memorial Library on Jan. 6, 2014, braving subzero temperatures and using two cups in an effort to insulate her coffee from the cold. Madison saw a low temperature of 18 degrees below zero on Monday and only managed a high of minus 11.
2014 polar vortex
Anyone who was out and about on Jan. 6, 2014, like this man delivering packages on State Street, had to contend with subzero temperatures and wind chills as low as 43 degrees below zero.
2014 polar vortex
Basketball fans make their way to entrances at the Kohl Center for a game between the Wisconsin Badgers and Iowa Hawkeyes at the Kohl Center on Jan. 5, 2014.
2014 polar vortex
Contending with bitterly cold temperatures, Dan Wepking of Alliant Energy works to restore power to a transmission pole near the intersection of County Highways N and T near Sun Prairie after a guide wire gave way Jan. 6, 2014.
2014 polar vortex
A wrapped-up pedestrian walks past Walgreens on the Capitol Square on Jan. 6, 2014. Temperatures in the Madison area dipped to nearly 20 below as a blast of Arctic air moved into the area early Monday.
2014 polar vortex
A pedestrian moving up Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard near Capitol Square. Temperatures in the Madison area dipped to nearly 20 below zero as a blast of Arctic air moved into the area early Monday, Jan. 6, 2014.
2014 polar vortex
Nancy Dvorak of Madison contends with bitterly cold temperatures and dangerous wind chills while making her way through Library Mall on the UW-Madison campus Jan. 6, 2014.
2014 polar vortex
Wisconsin and Southern Railway worker Brady Whipple shovels snow from between the rails of tracks along John Nolen Drive in Madison. Residents of the Upper Midwest are contending with bitterly cold temperatures and dangerous wind chills Jan. 6, 2014. Workers from the company were on the scene to thaw a frozen power switch, which is used to operate apparatus.
Jeff Richgels
Online Reporter/Producer for Wisconsin State Journal
