Milwaukee, WI – A large portion of eastern, south-central, and southeast Wisconsin will experience dangerously cold conditions through Sunday morning as Cold Weather Advisories remain in effect, according to the National Weather Service (NWS) office in Milwaukee/Sullivan.
Beginning midnight Friday night through 10 a.m. Sunday, counties including Marquette, Green Lake, Fond du Lac, Sheboygan, Sauk, Columbia, Dodge, Washington, Ozaukee, Dane, Jefferson, Waukesha, and Milwaukee will see wind chills fall to around 29 below zero. Major cities affected include Madison, Milwaukee, Waukesha, Fond du Lac, Portage, Sheboygan, Watertown, and surrounding communities.
A separate advisory from 6 p.m. Saturday to 10 a.m. Sunday covers Iowa, Lafayette, Green, Rock, Walworth, Racine, and Kenosha counties, where wind chills may fall to 28 below zero. Cities such as Janesville, Beloit, Kenosha, Racine, Monroe, and Lake Geneva are included.
Forecasters warn that wind chills near 30 below zero can cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 30 minutes, particularly during the coldest period: late Saturday night through early Sunday morning. While skies may remain mostly clear, any breeze will dramatically increase the danger for those outdoors.
Residents are urged to dress in layers, cover hands and faces, and limit time outdoors. Officials also encourage checking on older residents, unhoused neighbors, and households with limited heating, and to use space heaters safely. Fuel-burning devices such as grills and generators should never be used indoors due to carbon monoxide risks.
More updates are expected as the Arctic air continues to grip southern Wisconsin.
