Wisconsin Weather: Smoke, Storms, and Warm-Up Ahead

Current Conditions and Weekend Outlook

• ☁️ Mostly cloudy to mostly sunny conditions are present, with temperatures ranging from the low to mid-60s with clouds to the low to mid-70s with sunshine.
• 🌦️ Scattered showers and sprinkles have been observed, with heavier activity moving south and west, weakening as it goes.
• ☀️ Warmer temperatures are expected to move into the region from the west.

Air Quality Alert and Smoke

• 🔥 Numerous wildfires in central and northern Canada are expected to bring smoke into the state tomorrow.
• ⚠️ The Wisconsin DNR has issued an air quality alert for the entire NBC26 viewing area for Friday, with air quality expected to be in the orange range (unhealthy for sensitive groups).
• 😷 People with heart and lung disease, older adults, and children should limit outdoor activities due to the smoke.

Friday's Forecast: Heat and Thunderstorms

• 📈 Temperatures will rise to the upper 70s to lower 80s on Friday.
• ⛈️ A cold front moving in from the north and east will bring a chance for thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening.
• ⚡ The Storm Prediction Center has highlighted most of the viewing area under a marginal risk for severe weather, with storms potentially producing gusty, damaging winds and large hail.

Severe Weather Season and Next Week

• 📅 Northeast Wisconsin is entering the peak of severe weather and tornado season, with June being the peak month.
• 🌡️ The heat builds across the central and eastern part of the country, with a chance for thunderstorms on the northern edge of this heat next week.
• 📅 Temperatures are expected to be in the 80s for most of next week, with a chance for thunderstorms on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Weather Kids Segment

• 👧 Weather Kids segment allows viewers to submit photos of their children to show what they need to wear to be weather-ready.
• 📸 Photos can be sent in by scanning a QR code or visiting NBC26.com/weatherkids.