800 FXUS63 KGRB 201059 AFDGRBArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Green Bay WI 559 AM CDT Sat Sep 20 2025
Updated aviation portion for 12Z TAF issuance
.KEY MESSAGES...
- Multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms are expected through the weekend. Isolated strong storms with gusty winds, small hail, and heavy rain will be possible at times.
- Breezy southeast winds will result in hazardous marine and beach conditions south of Sturgeon Bay late tonight through early Saturday afternoon.
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.DISCUSSION... Issued at 217 AM CDT Sat Sep 20 2025
SHORT TERM (This morning through Sunday morning)
Broad warm air advection and a short-wave trough are driving scattered showers and thunderstorms across the region this morning ahead of a slow-moving low-pressure system centered over western Minnesota. A few of these storms are producing fairly heavy rainfall. Expect this scattered activity to continue through the morning, however, there will also be lulls in the precipitation at times.
Thunderstorms: An arc of stronger thunderstorms is possible this afternoon and evening. A narrow band of MUCAPE values are expected to increase to 1000-1200 J/kg ahead of a surface front lifting into central Wisconsin. HREF 4-hr max updrafts indicates that areas south of Highway 29 have the best chance to seeing stronger storms this afternoon. The primary hazard with any stronger storms would be hail, up to quarter sized. Deep layer shear is expected to be weak, less than 25 knots, which suggests storms will be pulse. Convective activity is expected to wane after 9 PM this evening; however, with ample cyclonic lift, showers and weak storms may linger into early Sunday morning.
Flooding: With Precipitable Water (PWAT) values near 1.3 to 1.4 inches, which are above the 90th percentile for this time of year, there is a risk for pockets of heavy rain. Warm cloud depths are also over 10,000 feet, which promotes efficient warm rain processes and could lead to high rainfall rates (1-2 inches/hour). Slow storm motions and potential training of storms may also contribute to an increased risk for minor urban/street flooding for areas that see multiple rounds of rain today. Some areas of central WI have already received 1-3 inches of rain from yesterday/overnights storms.
Marine Hazards: Increasing southeast winds and waves building to 3 to 5 feet will result in conditions hazardous to small craft along Lake Michigan nearshore waters today. These marine and beach hazard headlines are in effect through this afternoon. The increased potential for rip currents exists along Lake Michigan beaches in Kewaunee and Manitowoc counties.
LONG TERM (Sunday through next Saturday)
After a potential lull in precipitation on Sunday morning, ensemble guidance suggests another short-wave and surface boundary will move across Wisconsin, bringing showers and potential thunderstorms Sunday afternoon into Monday. Instability is expected to be less than Saturday, with MUCAPE values peaking around 800 J/kg, which is sufficient for scattered thunderstorms but greatly limits severe weather potential. The primary threat with any storms will be isolated instances of locally heavy rainfall due to slow-moving or training cells.
By the middle of next week, ensemble height anomalies indicate a ridge will develop over central Canada while a low-pressure system forms over the Ozarks. This pattern will help funnel drier, more stable air into the region, shunting most of the precipitation chances south of the area through Thursday. As a result, we expect a stretch of generally dry conditions and more seasonable temperatures.
Toward the end of the week, the low-pressure system over the Ozark Plateau is forecast to lift northeastward toward the eastern Great Lakes. This will increase rain chances (15-20%) for eastern Wisconsin late in the week and into the weekend. While showers will be possible, the greatest instability is expected to remain well to our south, significantly limiting the risk for any severe weather.
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.AVIATION...for 12Z TAF Issuance Issued at 559 AM CDT Sat Sep 20 2025
Generally MFVR/VFR conditions across the region early this morning, except across far northern WI where IFR status remains. Widespread rain showers and a few embedded weak thunderstorms also continue to lift northeat across the region early this morning. The shower activity will continue on and off through the morning, however, there may be a few hours mid-morning where much of the region turns dry. Over western WI where the rain as subside an IFR status deck has develop. As the rain pulls away from AUW and CWA there is a chance that IFR deck spreads in and lingers through much of the morning.
Another round of showers and thunderstorms is expected to develop this afternoon. Best chance for a few stronger thunderstorms capable of producing small hail and heavy rain will be south of an AUW to OCQ line. Included thunder at all the TAF sites for this period, with the exception of RHI where thunder was confined to a PROB30 group. Along with the rain expecting mostly MVFR cigs this afternoon, however, during lulls in the rain cigs may become IFR at times. Timing out these lulls remains a challenge so have no included them in the TAFs at this time.
Depending on how quickly rain moves off to the east tonight areas of fog may develop, mainly across central and northern WI, however, confidence in when and where fog may develop was too low to include in the TAFs.
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.GRB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Beach Hazards Statement until 4 PM CDT this afternoon for WIZ040- 050. &&
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DISCUSSION.....GK AVIATION.......GK
NWS GRB Office Area Forecast Discussion