Weather
Wisconsin Weather Alert: Record Highs Possible Sunday, Monday Oct 12
La Crosse, WI – An unusually warm October weekend could bring record challenging temperatures to western Wisconsin, southeastern Minnesota and northeastern Iowa on Sunday and Monday, with the National
By Sophie Caldwell · 2026-10-11T00:58:20.810Z
La Crosse, WI – An unusually warm October weekend could bring record challenging temperatures to western Wisconsin, southeastern Minnesota and northeastern Iowa on Sunday and Monday, with the National Weather Service highlighting the potential for historic daytime warmth and unusually mild overnight temperatures.
According to the National Weather Service in La Crosse, forecasters have updated their daily temperature records for October 11 12 as the region prepares for potentially record breaking warmth. The timing of an approaching cold front Monday could determine whether some overnight temperature records are challenged.
Decades Old Records Could Be Threatened In La Crosse, Sunday's record high is 86 degrees, established in 1928. Monday's record stands at 87 degrees, set in 1995.
Other western Wisconsin communities have similarly notable benchmarks.
Prairie du Chien's Sunday record is 85 degrees, while Sparta's is 84 degrees. Farther north, Medford's record high for Sunday is 83 degrees.
In southwestern Wisconsin, Lancaster's Sunday record stands at 88 degrees, dating back to 1930.
Across the Mississippi River, Rochester, Minnesota, and Decorah, Iowa, also have longstanding October temperature records that could be challenged.
Warm Nights Also Under Scrutiny Forecasters are monitoring the possibility of unusually warm overnight temperatures.
La Crosse's warmest minimum temperature record for Sunday is 66 degrees, established in 1928. Monday's record is 65 degrees, dating back to 1886.
Winona, Minnesota, has a Monday warmest low record of 69 degrees, established in 1924.
Cold Front Could Change Conditions Monday The approaching cold front is expected to influence how long unusually warm conditions persist across the region.
Residents planning outdoor activities Sunday should prepare for potentially summerlike temperatures, while those traveling Monday should monitor forecast updates as the front approaches.
The weather service's published table identifies historical records, not guaranteed forecast highs.
Additional forecast updates will help determine which communities have the greatest chance of breaking records.