556 FXUS63 KGRB 172357 AFDGRBArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Green Bay WI 657 PM CDT Wed Sep 17 2025
Updated aviation portion for 00Z TAF issuance
.KEY MESSAGES...
- Isolated strong storms could produce gusty winds in excess of 30 mph and small hail over northern Wisconsin this evening.
- Additional scattered showers and storms are possible at times Thursday through Monday. The risk of severe weather is low.
- Temperatures about 10 to 15 degrees above normal today, before returning to near normal from Friday into the weekend.
- Conditions hazardous to small craft will be possible on Lake Michigan south of Two Rivers on Friday night and Saturday morning. There will also be an increased risk of rip currents on Lake Michigan beaches along this section of shoreline.
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.DISCUSSION... Issued at 212 PM CDT Wed Sep 17 2025
Short Term...Tonight and Thursday
Latest satellite analysis continues to show a weak cold front boundary stretching Wisconsin into the Upper Peninsula, roughly from Phillips in Price County to just south of the city of Marquette. Surface parameters in the region meanwhile show building surface based CAPE values to around 1500-2000 J/kg of CAPE, indicating a favorable unstable conditions. As the front interacts with this instability, scattered rain and thunderstorm activity is anticipated in the afternoon, largely focused towards northern Wisconsin. Indeed, as of this early afternoon a couple of storms have already developed over the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. As we get into the evening, a few showers or storms may ride outflow southwards and expand active weather coverage southwards, but are still largely expected to stay well north of Highway 29, including the Fox Valley and Green Bay areas. Shear remains virtually nonexistent, so any storms will likely be fairly pulsy in nature and slow moving, making any impacts fairly localized. Any thunderstorms will have the potential for heavy rain, small hail, and brief but strong wind gusts up to 40 mph.
As the rain away from the cold front will be largely diurnally driven, quieter conditions are expected to return rapidly overnight, although a few showers could continue in the far north along an area of better moisture convergence. The front will also bring some drier air in, which should mitigate much of the fog potential for northern Wisconsin. Areas further south could still see some patchy fog, namely for central and east-central, but dense fog is not expected.
Thursday will see warm conditions continue, but cooler air will bring high temperatures down by around 5 degrees compared to today, with highs ranging from the middle 70s to the lower 80s. Scattered shower activity and a rumble of thunder will still be possible, mainly along the stalled cold front in northern Wisconsin and an area of weak convergence across central Wisconsin brought in by a larger low pressure system to our west. Without more widespread support however, coverage of active weather will be somewhat limited.
Long Term...Thursday Night Through Wednesday
The synoptic blocking over CONUS will break down over the first few days of the extended, allowing the upper trough to progress across the region through the weekend. Ahead of this, isolated shower activity is likely to continue across portions of central and northern Wisconsin Friday and Saturday before the more widespread forcing arrives. A round of more widespread rain and storms is then likely for Saturday night into Sunday. Return flow accompanying the trough will bring in another surge of warm air, holding high temperatures in the 70s into early next week. Active weather will accompany the warmer air, with storms and rain likely again Sunday evening and early next week when a larger low pressure system is expected to develop over the Central Plains.
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.AVIATION...for 00Z TAF Issuance Issued at 654 PM CDT Wed Sep 17 2025
Showers and storms have developed over northern WI, thus far staying just to the north of RHI. Current motion of the storms will keep them away from RHI, but did include a VCTS through 02z. Isolated storms have formed farther south from near Wisconsin Rapids to Shawano, but thus far these are avoiding the remaining TAF sites. Strongest storms this evening will produce gusty winds, small hail and heavy rain.
Once the showers and storms end later this evening, may see another round of scattered showers over the north late tonight. Patchy ground fog will also be possible across much of the area late tonight. Rest of Thursday will feature more clouds than have occurred recently, MVFR to lower VFR cigs in the morning will rise to VFR all areas in the afternoon. E-NE winds up to 10 kts will prevail at all TAF sites as cold front drops south of northeast WI.
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.GRB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None.
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DISCUSSION.....Uhlmann AVIATION.......JLA
NWS GRB Office Area Forecast Discussion