Record-warm weather is returning to Milwaukee, along with overnight thunderstorms

After temperatures in the 80s on Tuesday, Milwaukee will continue to end October with summery weather Wednesday and into Thursday.

According to the National Weather Service, both Milwaukee and Madison on Tuesday tied their high temperature records set on October 29, recording highs of 81 and 82 degrees, respectively. The records for both cities were set in 1937.

Milwaukee is on track to set another record Wednesday, with a high of about 78 degrees forecast for the early afternoon and temperatures further from Lake Michigan hovering around 80 degrees. The record high of 78 degrees was recorded in Milwaukee on October 30, 1901. The city's average high temperatures at the end of October are more than 20 degrees colder at around 55 degrees.

As for the reason for this week's unusually warm weather, NWS Milwaukee-Sullivan meteorologist Benjamin Sheppard said, “We have a low pressure system developing in the Plains and moving northeast into Minnesota. This has created a very strong southerly wind.” The wind feels stronger than the southerly wind and this is causing temperatures to rise rapidly.

In addition to the unusual heat, the system brought strong winds and likely overnight thunderstorms. Here's what you should know.

Why is it so windy in Milwaukee today?

Tuesday's strong winds in southern Wisconsin are expected to continue over the next two days, with gusts up to 35 mph on Wednesday and up to 40 mph on Thursday in Milwaukee.

Beaches in all Wisconsin counties along Lake Michigan, including Milwaukee County, are under a storm warning until 1 p.m. Friday and a small watercraft warning is in effect through Thursday morning. Click here to learn more about coastal warnings from NWS.

In addition to the low pressure system heading toward Minnesota, “we have a migrated high pressure system to the east. The combination of high pressure to the east and low pressure to the west is creating some really strong southerly winds,” Sheppard explained.

Thunderstorm forecast for southern Wisconsin

Moderate to heavy rain and possible thunderstorms are forecast for southern Wisconsin Wednesday evening through Thursday morning.

In Milwaukee, the chance of precipitation begins to increase around 6 p.m. Wednesday and peaks between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m. Friday. According to the NWS, rainfall amounts between a tenth and a quarter of an inch are forecast, with higher rainfall amounts during thunderstorms. The rain in Milwaukee is expected to ease by Thursday afternoon.

Thunderstorms are most likely in the Milwaukee area between 1 a.m. and 9 a.m. Thursday. A few “strong to severe” storms are possible across southern Wisconsin, bringing potentially damaging winds and “even a tornado or two,” according to the NWS. The heaviest rain and storm threat will be primarily in the Madison area and farther west, the weather service said.

When will it cool down in Milwaukee?

More typical fall temperatures return on Friday after a cold front moves in with the storm. In Milwaukee, highs of 65 degrees are expected around 10 a.m. Thursday before temperatures drop to the upper 40s by the evening.

High temperatures of 51 degrees are forecast for Milwaukee on Friday.