Latest news with #MarkGehring
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Cooler, breezier weather projected in Milwaukee following July 4 weekend
A cold front is moving through Milwaukee, brining lower temperatures and chances of rain following the hot and sunny Fourth of July weekend. July 6, Sunday, is projected to reach the high 70s with potential thunderstorms. "Tonight, we're going to actually have a night that's typical of summer; it's going to be low 60s by the lake, and upper 50s well inland," said Mark Gehring, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, on Sunday morning. Gehring said a low pressure area in southeast Wisconsin, followed by wind from the north, will bring cooler air and lower dew points and humidity into the Milwaukee area. The NWS separately issued a hazardous beach condition warning for Milwaukee, Kenosha and Racine counties on July 6, advising against swimming due to projections of dangerously high waves. For Monday, July 7, the NWS forecasts the cooler pattern of air will continue with highs in the upper 70s. "That's a nice, refreshing change," Gehring said. Tuesday's temperatures will climb a bit: they are projected to reach the lower 80s, with a chance of thunderstorms. "It'll be warm and humid, but not like it has been," he said. Cleo Krejci covers K-12 education and workforce development as a Report For America corps member based at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Contact her at CKrejci@ or follow her on Twitter @_CleoKrejci. For more information about Report for America, visit This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Weather service projects cooler weather to move through Milwaukee following July 4
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Extreme Heat Is Killing Unfathomable Numbers of People Worldwide
A huge heatwave is currently roasting vast swaths of the United States, sending temperatures skyrocketing over 100 degrees Fahrenheit across the midwest and eastern portions of the country. It's the season's first foray in a grim new annual reality: heat so extreme that it's literally killing people. The numbers are unfathomable, with an estimated 500 people dying every year in New York City alone, and thousands more across the country — in a grim upward trend that's spiked up every year since 2017. It's a global phenomenon, too. Across the Atlantic, a separate heat wave is expected to kill untold hundreds in the United Kingdom. And things are even worse in the global south; in India, for example, a recent investigation found that official totals, which can already average a thousand fatalities per year, are likely vastly undercounting the true death toll due to bureaucratic errors. Extreme heat disproportionately slays the elderly and vulnerable, including laborers and those who don't have access to air conditioning. At its most extreme, a "wet-bulb" temperature can cause death in virtually anybody, even if they're otherwise healthy. And because everybody is firing up their air conditioners when heat strikes, it puts incredible strain on the electric grid and can cause brownouts when the power is needed most. "This is the deadliest weather threat we face in New York City — treat it that way," New York City officials warned this week. "Don't wait until you feel sick. Heat builds. It compounds. It kills quietly." The United States' current crisis, which is expected to become brutal by mid-week, is due to a heat dome, which come in the form of "large and strong heat-trapping lids of high atmospheric pressure," explained Ben Noll, a meteorologist for The Washington Post. "This one will last around a week, with numerous temperature records expected to fall," he continued. National Weather Service meteorologist Mark Gehring told The Guardian that the size of the area impacted by the soaring temperatures is astonishing this time around. "It's basically everywhere east of the Rockies," he said. "That is unusual, to have this massive area of high dewpoints and heat." Unsurprisingly, the successive years of punishing heat are closely linked to climate change and global warming. A 2022 paper on weather and climate change in the Pacific Northwest published in the science journal Earth System Dynamics suggested, based on patterns in existing data, that killer heat waves would be 150 times rarer if weren't for the impact of "human-induced climate change." There's not a lot that ordinary folks can do about that, other than perhaps voting for politicians and policies that attempt to ameliorate the worst impacts of global warming. But to survive the onslaught, there are steps you can take, at least if you have the resources to do so. Stay indoors in an air-conditioned space if possible, watch out for signs of heat exhaustion — like faintheadness and headaches — and drink plenty of water. And whatever it takes, stay out of the Sun. More on heatwaves: Dozens of Americans Die in Brutal Heat Wave
Yahoo
22-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Wisconsin will see record-breaking heat through Monday night. How to stay safe and cool.
Wisconsin won't get relief from extremely hot and humid conditions until at least Monday night, when storms will move across the southwestern part of the state. The heat is likely to break records in several ways. The National Weather Service is forecasting temperatures will reach 97 degrees in Milwaukee today, which is the same record high for June 22 set in 1911. "It's going to be close. We could tie it, we could break it, we could be just short," said NWS meteorologist Mark Gehring. There's another important measure called the record high minimum — essentially, the warmest low temperature of a 24-hour period. Madison broke its record for that metric yesterday. In Milwaukee, that record was 73 degrees in 1921. The low temperature in Milwaukee this morning was 78 degrees, Gehring said, and setting a new record will depend on how much temperatures drop late tonight. "There's a very good chance that will happen," he said of breaking that record. That metric is important because it doesn't allow people to cool down in the overnight hours, Gehring said, especially when homes without air conditioning are warmer than outside temperatures. More: Power restored for many, but 2,100 We Energies customers still see outages amid heat wave It will stay hot and muggy well into the evening on Monday, Gehring said. A heat advisory remains in effect until 7 p.m. June 23 across Wisconsin for heat index values reaching up to 105 degrees. Milwaukee, Kenosha and Racine counties are under an extreme heat warning until 7 p.m. tomorrow, with heat index values reaching up to 110. The National Weather Service and health officials give the following tips to stay safe and cool. Stay hydrated with water or beverages with electrolytes. It's important to hydrate before going outside, not just while you're outside. Make sure you eat meals. Avoid alcohol and caffeine. Limit time outside if you can. If you need to be outside, take breaks in the shade. Wear a wide-brimmed hat, sunscreen and light-colored, loose clothing. Check on people without air conditioning, especially the elderly. The Milwaukee area has a map of cooling centers like libraries. Stay cool in your home by taking colder showers and baths and using wet towels to lower body temperature. Fans are useful but should not be your only cooling method. Know the signs of heat exhaustion, which include heavy sweating, weakness, dizziness, nausea and fainting. If you are experiencing any symptoms of heat stroke — which include high body temperature, dry skin, confusion and rapid pulse — call 911 immediately. More: There's an extreme heat warning this weekend in Milwaukee. Here's how to stay safe and cool More: Milwaukee is under an extreme heat warning this weekend. Here's where you can stay cool As extreme heat moves out, storms will roll in across southwestern Wisconsin, including over Madison by early Monday evening. The system will likely weaken before reaching Milwaukee. Rain chances continue essentially every day for the rest of the week. Right now, models show storms are hovering to the north and west of the Milwaukee metro area. "It's close enough that if it shifts just a little bit (to the south), Milwaukee could get rounds of showers and storms through the week," Gehring said. Those storms could involve severe weather not far from Milwaukee, he said, including wind and hail damage. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin won't get break from record-breaking heat until Monday night
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
'97 on Sunday is possible:' Record heat could be on way
Milwaukee could see record-high temperatures this weekend. Once the sun returns June 21 after three stormy days, it could get as warm as the mid-to-high 90s. The National Weather Service is projecting a high around 95 on Saturday and Sunday, June 21 and 22, and 92 on Monday June 23, but those forecasts could both still get warmer. The June 22 and 23 temperature records in Wisconsin are 97 and 95, respectively.'Ninety-seven on Sunday is possible, and something greater than 95 on Monday is also possible,' Milwaukee-Sullivan National Weather Service meteorologist Aidan Kuroski said. If the temperature hits 96 in Milwaukee that will be the hottest it's been since August 23, 2023, when it was 101. The last time it's been that hot in June was in 2022, when it peaked at 100 on June 21. "We're going to probably be breaking records," Milwaukee-Sullivan National Weather Service meteorologist Mark Gehring said. "So whenever you're breaking daily records, that is a bit rare." This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: record heat on way to milwaukee and wisconsin for the weekend
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
At least 7 tornados touched down Thursday in Wisconsin, including 4 in Dodge County
The National Weather Service confirmed at least seven tornados touched down in Wisconsin May 15, including four in Dodge County. Damage was reported in Juneau and Mayville about 50 miles northwest of Milwaukee as two EF2 tornados with peak winds of about 120 miles per hour struck. 'Those are considered strong tornados,' Mark Gehring, of the Milwaukee area National Weather Service office, said May 16. 'That's pretty serious." One touched down west of Juneau about 5:42 p.m. May 15, and traveled 9.2 miles ending just east of Horicon. Another touched down near Mayville about 5:59 p.m. and traveled five miles. Two EF1 tornados also were reported in the area. 'They pack a punch, too,' Gehring said. Both had windspeeds of about 95 miles per hour and one caused damage to the Dodge County Airport. That one touched down about two miles east of Juneau and traveled about four miles. Another one touched down near Lomira and traveled about a half-mile. In far western Wisconsin, one tornado came with the first round of storms that morning. It was rated as an EF2 with windspeeds up to 135 miles per hour. The tornado touched down in St. Croix County just east of Minneapolis about 10:27 a.m. and traveled about four miles in seven minutes before dissipating. Hail up to 4 inches in diameter was also associated with this storm, as well as 100 mile-per-hour winds that caused damages in several counties in western Wisconsin. A second storm in the afternoon produced two more tornados in Clark County in central Wisconsin. An EF1 with windspeeds up to 110 miles per hour touched down near Christie about 4:47 p.m. and traveled about a half-mile for a minute. It snapped the trunks of a few large trees, according to the National Weather Service. And an EF0 with windspeeds up to 85 miles per hour touched down near Loyal about 4:55 p.m. and traveled 2.3 miles in three minutes. Multiple trees were damaged and it it removed a portion of the roof of a farm building, the weather service said. Gehring said the May 16 storms did not produce any tornados in Wisconsin, but did cause wind downbursts of about 58 miles per hour causing damage to some trees. 'There really wasn't a tornado threat today,' he said. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: 7 tornados touched down in Wisconsin, National Weather Service says
