Wisconsin Climate Summaries

February encapsulated the unpredictability of Wisconsin’s winter weather, as extreme cold gave way to a surprising burst of warmth, while snowstorms transformed the landscape into a winter wonderland.

The beginning of 2025 was filled with stark temperature contrasts, exceptional dryness, and below-normal snowfall.

Wisconsin’s 2024 weather was warm, wet, and wavering, leading to the warmest year on record and precipitation ping-pong between record dry and record wet months.

December 2024 showcased the dynamic nature of winter in the Badger State, from dramatic temperature swings and underwhelming snowfall to hard-to-predict lake ice and dense fog.

While autumn began like summer and ended like winter, the state experienced more heat than cold during the season, which tied the record for Wisconsin’s warmest fall. Autumn was also more dry than wet, especially until drought-busting rains finally arrived during November.

November delivered the drama expected of a transitional month: near-record warmth in the first half of the month gave way to winter’s icy grip by month’s end, with drought-relieving rains in between.

October was another warm and dry month in Wisconsin, featuring summerlike temperatures and rapidly escalating drought conditions.

September was remarkable with extreme warmth and dryness placing it among Wisconsin’s 10 warmest and 10 driest Septembers on record.

The last month of meteorological summer ended with an intense heatwave; however, temperatures averaged near normal for August and for the entire summer. Rainfall varied widely this season, with some experiencing drought and others heavy downpours, and severe weather was relatively limited.

July in Wisconsin was surprisingly normal, with temperature and precipitation close to their long-term averages for a change. However, intense rainfall in southern Wisconsin caused damage and flooding while northern Wisconsin and the Lake Michigan coast returned to dry conditions.