Storms expected bring heavy rain to Milwaukee this weekend, severe weather possible

Milwaukee’s weekend revelers should plan to pack an umbrella, that’s because the latest forecast from the National Weather Service shows a potential for severe weather and heavy rains on Friday and Saturday.

The latest projections from the NWS show scattered thunderstorms are expected to occur as a warm front from the south travels north through the state on Friday. Friday’s potential for severe weather, while low, could bring damaging wind, small hail and heavy rains.

“For downtown Milwaukee, we are looking at the potential for isolated thunderstorms and showers through the afternoon hours.,” said Michaela Heeren, a meteorologist at the local NWS office in Sullivan. “Going into the evening, that’s going to bring the potential for the (severe weather.)”

The peak of the storms are expected to occur in the late afternoon to early evening, between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. and the storms are forecast to end by 9 p.m., according to the NWS.

Heeren said that Milwaukee is forecast for up to an inch of rain on Friday, with rates potentially reaching one inch per hour if conditions are met.

The NWS rates Milwaukee and other parts of southeastern and eastern Milwaukee as rated at a one-out-of-five chance for severe weather. To the west, in central and western Wisconsin, the NWS forecasts a two-out-of-five chance.

There is uncertainty with how powerful the storms will develop, because of the lack of instability in the environment, Heeren said.

“Our environment is a little bit weaker than what we prefer for a typical severe set up, we don’t have a lot of ingredients to keep storms alive long enough to produce significant severe weather,” she said.

On Saturday, the NWS forecasts another round of potential severe weather that will bring even more rain.

That system is forming behind a cold weather front traveling southeast across the state and brings a one out of five risk for severe weather to Milwaukee.

However, the rest of the state will be in a two out of five rating, with Heeren describing it was “more traditional” severe weather conditions. Saturday’s conditions will bring a chance of damaging wind, large hail, heavy rain and a small chance of tornadoes.

Through Saturday, the NWS forecasts up to 1.5 inches of rain for Milwaukee.