04/16/2026
Alright folks, let's talk about Friday! Another active day of severe weather is shaping up across the Badger state as a strong cold front heads this way from the west, while an area of low pressure treks up from the Central Plains. In the upper-levels, we'll be in southwesterly flow ahead of a deepening trough over the Western United States.
Abundant low-level moisture will be drawn northward ahead of the incoming front Friday morning, with dew points rising into the low and mid-60s as strong southerly surface winds develop. Meanwhile, sufficient instability and plenty of wind shear will also be in place . The setup that is forecast will be pretty volatile, especially if our surface features arrive at just the right time. All hazards will be possible, including an increased risk of large to very large hail (2+" diameter) and tornadoes. Damaging winds are also possible as storms congeal into a line along the front.
As far as timing, this remains a bit iffy right now. Generally speaking, strong to severe storms will be possible from midday Friday through the early evening hours.
I will continue to closely monitor new data as it comes in and update you with the latest. Please stay weather aware tomorrow and make sure you have multiple ways to receive weather warnings. We have went ahead and declared Friday a 13 FIRST ALERT WEATHER DAY.
