Some rain-starved areas of northern Wisconsin may be visited by thunderstorms Saturday as rising temperatures encourage air to ascend and cool. This process leads to afternoon thunderstorm formation Saturday and could be enhanced as a pocket of powerful jet stream winds dives into the region from the northwest. Recent days have seen copious rainfall in parts of the Chicago area; however, much of northern Wisconsin, Upper Michigan and Minnesota have been dry. Lake and river levels are down, and some rain there would be welcome. Since June 1, Rhinelander, Wis., has recorded rainfall 5.68” below normal.
Timing will be everything in terms of any impact of these scattered storms on the Chicago area. Clouds may increase slowly from the northwest, and scattered storms could reach north and west sections of the metro area later today—a few could even reach the city. Daytime heating may brew additional storms Sunday afternoon and early at night.
--By Tom Skilling, WGN-TV Weather Center Meteorologist
WGN-TV Chief Meteorologist Tom Skilling and the WGN Weather Center staff provide daily coverage of weather in the Chicago area.
