Thanksgiving Day Temperature Crash: Wisconsin Set For A Big Drop

MILWAUKEE, WI — Wisconsin will see mild days early in the week before temperatures plunge heading into Thanksgiving, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) outlooks.

Wisconsin will enjoy a couple more mild November days before a sharp cold front arrives just in time for Thanksgiving, according to the National Weather Service and new long-range outlooks from NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center.

The Twin Cities will be sunny and in the upper 40s and low 50s through the weekend, but a pattern change is approaching.

Rain moves in Monday and Tuesday, with up to a quarter inch possible. Colder air filters in Tuesday night, bringing a chance for a rain-snow mix as temperatures begin a steep drop.

By Wednesday, a strong northwest wind pushes highs down into the lower 30s with gusty conditions. Overnight lows fall into the teens. Thanksgiving Day is expected to reach only the upper 20s with partly sunny skies and a steady northwest breeze.

NOAA’s 6–10 day and 8–14 day outlooks show Wisconsin solidly in the “below normal” temperature category through the end of November, and NOAA’s new winter seasonal outlook favors below-normal temperatures for December through February across the Upper Midwest.

In short, the state gets one last mild stretch before the holiday, followed by a true winter pattern as December turns colder.

Here's the full NWS forecast from the Milwaukee Airport:

Today: Partly sunny, with a high near 46. Northwest wind around 5 mph.

Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 29. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm after midnight.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 49. Light and variable wind becoming southwest 5 to 10 mph in the morning.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 35. West wind 5 to 10 mph.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 53. West wind around 5 mph.

Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 37. Southwest wind around 5 mph.

Monday: A 30 percent chance of rain after noon. Increasing clouds, with a high near 54. South wind 5 to 10 mph.

Monday Night: Rain. Low around 44. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Tuesday: Rain likely, mainly before noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 54. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Tuesday Night: A 40 percent chance of rain, mainly before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 32.

Wednesday: A 20 percent chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 40.

Wednesday Night: A slight chance of rain and snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 24. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Thanksgiving Day: Partly sunny, with a high near 34.