Strong to Severe Thunderstorms in the East; Heat in the Central and Western U.S.

Strong to potentially severe thunderstorms with damaging wind gusts are forecast Thursday from parts of New England into the Mid Atlantic and Carolinas. Significant heat will expand across the West and Central Plains through Friday, potentially breaking daily high temperature records. Dangerous heat will then build into the Eastern U.S. this weekend through much of next week. Read More >

Wettest Thanksgiving in Southern Wisconsin

Milwaukee had its wettest Thanksgiving Day on record with 1.55 inches of precipitation for the day. The old record was 0.98 inches, set in 1968. The 1.55 inches also broke the daily record for the most rain on a November 26th. The previous record was 0.99 inches set in 1965.

Madison also broke the records for both the wettest Thanksgiving and wettest November 26th with 1.19 inches of rain for the day. The previous Thanksgiving record was 1.06 inches, set in 1879. The previous daily record for a November 26th was 1.05 inches set in 1988.

Total rainfall amounts across southern Wisconsin are shown below. Most of the area saw at least and inch of rain. A corridor across southeastern WI recieved over 1.5", and some locations in that area exceeded 2".

Observed rainfall totals. Observations came from official NWS sites, coop observers, CoCoRaHS, storm spotters, and the general public.

Along with all of the rain, Thanksgiving was also quite warm across southern Wisconsin. Here is a listing of the Top 5 warmest Thanksgiving Day temperatures for Milwaukee and Madison:

Milwaukee		Madison
Rank	Temp (Year)	Rank	Temp (Year)
1	65 (1914)	1	64 (1914)
2	63 (2012)	2	62 (2012)
3	62 (1915)	3	61 (1915)
4	61 (1896)	T4	59 (1998, 1896)
5	59 (1998)

Milwaukee's observed high was 57 degrees, and Madison's was 55 degrees, so both locations missed making the top five.

The combination of warmer conditions, and moderate to sometimes heavy rainfall, will result in rivers rising across far southern Wisconsin to near or just above bankfull or minor flood stage overnight through today. The rivers most susceptible to rapid rises include the Pecatonica and Fox. The Rock River will also experience some river level rises, but will respond slower to the rain.

Here is a link to monitor the latest river stages, and river stage forecasts, across southern Wisconsin.

Here is a link to the latest Hazardous Weather Outlook for southern Wisconsin.

Here is a link to the latest rainfall amounts across southern Wisconsin.

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