Early wildfire smoke from Canada drifted into Southeast Wisconsin overnight, leaving a thin haze across much of the region by sunrise. The air quality briefly dropped this morning, but as winds shift from the north to the east, most of the smoke will dissipate during the afternoon and evening. Thanks to a strong dome of high pressure, the sky stays bright and mostly cloud-free throughout the day. Afternoon highs will climb into the mid to upper 70s (75–82°F, or 24–28°C), with cooler conditions near the lakefront and warmer inland air away from Lake Michigan.
Looking ahead, spotty thunderstorms could emerge across parts of the Midwest over the coming days. Weather models indicate a storm complex may take shape later tonight over Minnesota. It remains unclear how far east that system will travel, but there is a slight chance that southern Wisconsin could see showers or rumbles of thunder by Tuesday. Most of the day still appears dry, with temperatures rising to 80°F (27°C) along the shoreline and up to 86°F (30°C) inland.
By midweek, heat and humidity make a strong comeback. Wednesday’s highs are expected to soar to around 93°F (34°C), with dew points in the upper 60s and low 70s, pushing heat index values to over 100°F (38°C). That oppressive air mass will linger through Thursday, before a slow-moving cold front arrives from the northwest, stirring up scattered thunderstorms late in the day. Behind that front, Friday’s temperatures will ease back into the low 80s (around 28°C).
A calmer and more seasonable pattern is on track to settle in just in time for the weekend.
