It was hot yesterday and will be today as well...

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The Fourth-of-July was the fourth-hottest day in history in both Milwaukee and Madison. Both cities had highs of 102 – the first time in 17 years that the mercury hit triple-digits in both places. Milwaukee and Madison both had average temperatures for the day of 91-and-a-half – the fourth-highest readings ever for both of Wisconsin’s largest cities. Wisconsin Rapids also had 102, and all three cities set new record highs for July fourth – as did Wausau, Eau Claire, Marshfield, and Stevens Point. And it was even hotter with the humidity. The state’s hottest heat-index yesterday was 115 at Tamarack in Trempealeau County. Thunderstorms were expected in the far north last night as a cold front moved in. Part of northwest Wisconsin was under a tornado watch until three this morning. Fence in Florence County had one-inch hail early last evening, and Presque Isle in Vilas County had 50-mile-an-hour winds. Expect more record-setting heat today, with highs of up to 105 in southern Wisconsin and the 90’s in the north with only a slight chance of rain. Relief is expected tomorrow in the north, with highs there in the 70’s-and-‘80’s but more triple-digits in the south. An excessive heat warning remains in effect until 10 tomorrow night for southern and western Wisconsin.

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Most Wisconsinites were able to enjoy July Fourth fireworks shows – even though some places canceled their events due to hot-and-dry weather. Shows in Oak Creek and Waukesha ended early, after they started grass fires. Delavan, Elm Grove, and Shorewood were among the communities which called off their fireworks shows. In the Milwaukee suburb of Cudahy, two men were hurt while taking part in a holiday parade. Police said a V-F-W veteran might have suffered a heat stroke and lost consciousness before a car he was driving hit a flag bearer in front of him. Cudahy fire-fighters who were marching in the parade immediately tried to help the two. They were taken to a hospital, but their conditions were not immediately known. Meanwhile, several more Wisconsin highways were temporarily closed yesterday after the heat buckled the pavement. Lanes were closed on Interstate-94 near Johnson Creek, I-39 near Portage, Highway 12 near Madison, and Highway 33 in Dodge County. On Tuesday, lanes were shut down due to pavement buckling in Lincoln, Chippewa, Dane, and Columbia counties.

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Northwest Wisconsin was under a tornado watch overnight – but the region escaped the severe weather that hit neighboring Minnesota. Trees and power lines fell after midnight in central parts of the Gopher State, as winds gusted to nearly 60-miles-an-hour. The National Weather Service said storms went through far northwest, northeast, and east central Wisconsin. The Weather Service reported no damage. The Wisconsin Public Service utility said almost 24-hundred electric customers were without power as of 7:45 this morning. About a-thousand of those customers were in Eagle River and Minocqua, while around 14-hundred customers were out in the Stevens Point area as the region’s heat wave continues. It was 81 in Madison at seven this morning, after that city and Milwaukee both hit record highs of 102 on the Fourth-of-July. Both cities had their fourth-hottest days in history. And forecasters expect more record heat today. Parts of northern Wisconsin remain under a heat advisory until 10 tonight. An excessive heat warning continues until 10 tomorrow night for much of western, central, and southern Wisconsin. Highs in those places could hit 106 today, with the north getting back into the ‘90’s. Relief is expected during the weekend.

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