Today: The 5-Day Weather Forecast August 17, 2025 begins with good news: humidity and heat are moving out. A high-pressure system moved into the area yesterday, following the line of storms and tempered the moisture and heat. It also sent the competing weak low-pressure system packing back to Iowa. This occasion mirrors the nursery rhyme: rain, rain, go away, come again some other day. While the rain is away, Milwaukee will be enjoying a pleasant day. Though clouds will frequent the sky, and winds will gust out of the northeast around 13 mph all day, this allows for more comfortable temperatures. With the cold front of Saturday, the lake will only reach 70 around 3 p.m. while inland temperatures flirt with 75.
Tonight: To end the day, we will watch the sun come to rest in a bed of cotton ball clouds. Lakeside temperatures then drop slightly into the mid-60s, and inland temperatures see a lower 63. The difference between lakeside versus inland is due to Lake Michigan’s water temperatures (around 73) and winds. With a very active weather pattern going into Monday, the wind will change often. A cooler air from the eastern Upper Peninsula during the day, then will pull warmer air from mainland Michigan and the south during the night. Coupled with this, the further inland one is, more blocks or calms the wind (i.e. trees, buildings, hills). These two factors of the wind, ignoring the effects of no sun, cause much of the temperature fluctuations we will see tonight.
Tomorrow: The work week is underway when the sun rises over the lake, greeting the morning at 67 degrees with a lake breeze. Contrasting the beautiful morning, winds whip out of the southeast at a respectable 15 mph. Gust could get up to 26 mph, so be careful on open roads during the commute. Late morning will welcome the arrival of gusty rainstorms. Isolated thunderstorms are anticipated to be near, as the SPC issued a marginal risk for the area. Temperatures will slink back into the mid to upper-70s along with the dewpoint, producing a humid Monday. By midnight, storms dissipate with lingering rain until we see a low of 68 and Tuesday morning.
Tuesday: By late morning, rain should be gone, but throughout Tuesday small chances of rain remain. With the rain done, humidity drops to manageable levels along with the temperatures finally. Partly cloudy with a high of 75 sounds much better than most of the days last week! Winds will be turning from west to north Tuesday, bringing 9 mph sustained winds with increasing gusts up to 26 mph by the end of the day. The night will be clear with a low of 65.
Wednesday & Thursday: Looking forward, we continue hovering in the mid-70s as the high-pressure system shoves more temperate air our way. Winds pick up Wednesday, blowing through at 17 mph with gusts up to 35 mph, but calm Thursday to 10 mph and gusts of 19 mph. Heavy clouds and rain are not in the extended forecast vocabulary as of now. Scattered clouds pop up in the evenings but never last but do stay around a bit longer Thursday. Lows will be 64 Wednesday and 63 Thursday.
