Alert archive / Wisconsin / Beach Hazards Statements in 2026

Beach Hazards Statement 11, NWS Milwaukee, WI

July 18, 20264 counties in Wisconsin

NWS Milwaukee, WI issued this beach hazards statement at Jul 18, 2026, 2:04 AM CDT for 4 counties in Wisconsin. It took effect at Jul 18, 2026, 7:00 PM CDT. It was in force for 12 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 18, 2026, 2:04 AM CDT (07:04 UTC)
In effect from
Jul 18, 2026, 7:00 PM CDT
Expired
Jul 19, 2026, 7:00 AM CDT
In force
12 hr
Issued by
NWS Milwaukee, WI

Counties Kenosha County, WI, Milwaukee County, WI, Ozaukee County, WI, Racine County, WI

The radar

The Milwaukee radar (KMKX), 56 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 07:04 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

The nearest sounding before it

Green Bay/Straub, WI (KGRB), launched 00:00Z, 7.1 hours before the alert went out and 173 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Green Bay/Straub, WI at 00:00Z on 2026-07-18Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1884 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Green Bay/Straub, WI at 00:00Z on 2026-07-18The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 86 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
1884 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-3 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1453 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
28 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
86 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
193 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.7
Supercell composite
15.5

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

402 
WHUS43 KMKX 180704
CFWMKX

Lakeshore Hazard Message
National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
204 AM CDT Sat Jul 18 2026

WIZ060-066-071-072-181515-
/O.NEW.KMKX.BH.S.0011.260719T0000Z-260719T1200Z/
Ozaukee-Milwaukee-Racine-Kenosha-
204 AM CDT Sat Jul 18 2026

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT IN EFFECT FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH
SUNDAY MORNING...

* WHAT...Life threatening waves of 3 to 5 feet and dangerous 
  currents are expected.

* WHERE...Ozaukee, Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha Counties.

* WHEN...From this evening through Sunday morning.

* IMPACTS...Dangerous swimming conditions are expected due to 
  high waves and onshore winds.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Stay out of the water and away from dangerous areas like piers
and breakwalls.  Strong structural and longshore currents are
expected.  Rip currents are possible.

&&

$$
5 follow-up statements
237 
WHUS43 KMKX 181408
CFWMKX

Lakeshore Hazard Message
National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
908 AM CDT Sat Jul 18 2026

WIZ060-066-071-072-182215-
/O.CON.KMKX.BH.S.0011.260719T0000Z-260719T1200Z/
Ozaukee-Milwaukee-Racine-Kenosha-
908 AM CDT Sat Jul 18 2026

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM CDT THIS
EVENING THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING...

* WHAT...Life threatening waves of 3 to 5 feet and dangerous 
  currents are expected.

* WHERE...Ozaukee, Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha Counties.

* WHEN...From this evening through Sunday morning.

* IMPACTS...Dangerous swimming conditions are expected due to 
  high waves and onshore winds.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Stay out of the water and away from dangerous areas like piers
and breakwalls.  Strong structural and longshore currents are
expected.  Rip currents are possible.

&&

$$
Wood
921 
WHUS43 KMKX 181748
CFWMKX

Lakeshore Hazard Message
National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
1248 PM CDT Sat Jul 18 2026

WIZ060-066-071-072-190200-
/O.CON.KMKX.BH.S.0011.260719T0000Z-260719T1200Z/
Ozaukee-Milwaukee-Racine-Kenosha-
1248 PM CDT Sat Jul 18 2026

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM CDT THIS
EVENING THROUGH EARLY SUNDAY MORNING...

* WHAT...Life threatening waves of 3 to 5 feet and dangerous 
  currents are expected.

* WHERE...Ozaukee, Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha Counties.

* WHEN...From this evening through early Sunday morning.

* IMPACTS...Dangerous swimming conditions are expected due to 
  high waves and onshore winds.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Stay out of the water and away from dangerous areas like piers
and breakwalls.  Strong structural and longshore currents are
expected.  Rip currents are possible.

&&

$$
Wood
540 
WHUS43 KMKX 182349
CFWMKX

Lakeshore Hazard Message
National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
649 PM CDT Sat Jul 18 2026

WIZ060-066-071-072-190800-
/O.CON.KMKX.BH.S.0011.260719T0000Z-260719T1200Z/
Ozaukee-Milwaukee-Racine-Kenosha-
649 PM CDT Sat Jul 18 2026

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH SUNDAY
MORNING...

* WHAT...Life threatening waves of 3 to 5 feet and dangerous 
  currents are expected.

* WHERE...Ozaukee, Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha Counties.

* WHEN...From this evening through early Sunday morning.

* IMPACTS...Dangerous swimming conditions are expected due to 
  high waves and onshore winds.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Stay out of the water and away from dangerous areas like piers
and breakwalls.  Strong structural and longshore currents are
expected.  Rip currents are possible.

&&

$$
069 
WHUS43 KMKX 190550
CFWMKX

Lakeshore Hazard Message
National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
1250 AM CDT Sun Jul 19 2026

WIZ060-066-071-072-191200-
/O.CON.KMKX.BH.S.0011.000000T0000Z-260719T1200Z/
Ozaukee-Milwaukee-Racine-Kenosha-
1250 AM CDT Sun Jul 19 2026

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 AM CDT THIS
MORNING...

* WHAT...Life threatening waves of 3 to 5 feet and dangerous 
  currents are expected.

* WHERE...Ozaukee, Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha Counties.

* WHEN...From this evening through early Sunday morning.

* IMPACTS...Dangerous swimming conditions are expected due to 
  high waves and onshore winds.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Stay out of the water and away from dangerous areas like piers
and breakwalls.  Strong structural and longshore currents are
expected.  Rip currents are possible.

&&

$$
283 
WHUS43 KMKX 191203
CFWMKX

Lakeshore Hazard Message
National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
703 AM CDT Sun Jul 19 2026

WIZ060-066-071-072-191315-
/O.EXP.KMKX.BH.S.0011.000000T0000Z-260719T1200Z/
Ozaukee-Milwaukee-Racine-Kenosha-
703 AM CDT Sun Jul 19 2026

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT HAS EXPIRED...

Wave have diminished for beach surf zones across 
southern Wisconsin. With light and variable winds 
expected today waves will continue to diminish. 

$$

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this beach hazards statement went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Milwaukee, WI wrote its last area forecast discussion before this beach hazards statement went out at Jul 17, 11:35 PM CDT, 2 hours 29 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • Slight chances for thunderstorms early Sat AM through late morning.
  • Wildfire smoke is expected to return Saturday night and Sunday with unhealthy air and reduced visibility expected.
  • High Swim Risk conditions may occur at all southern WI beaches Saturday night.
  • Numerous thunderstorms, possibly severe, are forecast Monday and Monday night.
Area forecast discussion, Jul 17, 11:35 PM CDT, 2 hours 29 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
1135 PM CDT Fri Jul 17 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Slight chances for thunderstorms early Sat AM through late
  morning.

- Wildfire smoke is expected to return Saturday night and Sunday
  with unhealthy air and reduced visibility expected.

- High Swim Risk conditions may occur at all southern WI beaches
  Saturday night.

- Numerous thunderstorms, possibly severe, are forecast Monday
  and Monday night.

&&

.SHORT TERM...
Issued 1134 PM CDT Fri Jul 17 2026

Tonight through Sunday night:

The CAMs continue to dissipate the current MCS over west
central WI over the next 2-3 hours but will still have at least
slight chance PoPs as a wly 850 mb jet of 30 kts and thermal
ridge shifts swd into the area just ahead of the approaching
cold front. PWATs will increase to 1.6-1.9 inches during the
overnight with elevated CAPE of 2000 J/KG expected. The CIN will
be weak but so is the forcing. The cold front will track from
nw-se across the area from 10-16Z with a continued possibility
for development as it moves toward the IL border. Sfc based
convection may become possible toward the border by late
morning, but much of the expected storm development will be in
nrn IL in the afternoon.

Nly winds and weak cold advection will then settle over srn WI
for the afternoon including a lake breeze boosted by the front.
High temps in the middle to upper 80s will likely be reached by
noon over far ern WI before cooler lake air moves inland. Heat
index values on Sat will range from the upper 80s north of I-94
to the lower 90s south. High pressure will then settle over the
nrn Great Lakes and nrn WI Sat nt, then moving to lower MI and
Lake Huron on Sun. Cooler low temps in the lower to middle 60s
is forecast Sat nt with highs Sun in the upper 70s to lower 80s.
The high temp forecast for Sun is accounting for fairly
widespread smoke that will arrive Sat nt and continue through
Sun.

Gehring

&&

.LONG TERM...
Issued 1134 PM CDT Fri Jul 17 2026

Monday through Friday:

For Mon-Mon nt a couple upper waves over Canada will support a
996 mb low across nrn Ontario. A wly low level jet of 30-40 kt
and associated thetae advection will arrive on Mon with fairly
widespread showers and storms expected. The cold front and the
srn periphery of the shortwave trough will follow Mon nt, but
there is uncertainty if the warm front will pass or stall over
sw WI or farther west due to the earlier storms and clouds.
Nevertheless the baroclinic zone and CAPE gradient will likely
be sufficiently close for a additional storms and severe
potential over some of the area. Afterward nwly winds and cold
advection will prevail on Tue but with temps still near normal.
Nwly flow aloft and high pressure gradually moving from the
Upper MS River Valley to the Mid Atlantic States is the trend
for the remainder of the week. Little to no chances for rain
with temps near normal.

Gehring

&&

.AVIATION...
Issued 1134 PM CDT Fri Jul 17 2026

VFR conditions tnt-Sat but with low chances for showers and
thunderstorms early Sat AM into early Sat PM. Sct-bkn040-060
expected during this period. Areas to possibly widespread smoke
will then move into srn WI late Sat afternoon through the
evening and continue well into Sunday. Vsbys may fall to 1-2SM
with the smoke with areas of Cigs of 2-3kft.

Gehring

&&

.MARINE...
Issued 1134 PM CDT Fri Jul 17 2026

Areas of smoke will continue over the north half of the lake
tonight. Otherwise breezy southwest to west winds will develop
ahead of a cold front. The low pressure area around 29.7 inches
will track from just north of Lake Superior tonight across
southern Quebec Saturday afternoon and deepen to 29.4 inches. Its
trailing cold front will track from northern Lake Michigan
Saturday morning to far southern Lake Michigan by early afternoon.
Smoke will return to Lake Michigan behind the cold front and may
become dense once again. Breezy northerly winds are forecast
behind the cold front and will linger into Saturday evening.

Winds then quickly taper Saturday night, as high pressure around
30.1 inches moves over the northern Great Lakes. Northeast to
light and variable winds are then expected through Sunday into
Sunday night. Gusty south to southwest winds may then develop
Monday into Monday night, with gusty west to northwest winds
possible into the middle of next week.

A Small Craft Advisory will likely be needed Sat nt from
Sheboygan to Winthrop Harbor due to breezy northeast winds and
building waves.

Gehring

&&

.MKX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WI...None.
LM...None.
&&

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Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 17, 9:59 PM CDT, 4 hours 5 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
959 PM CDT Fri Jul 17 2026

WIZ046-047-051-052-056>060-062>072-190300-
Marquette-Green Lake-Fond du Lac-Sheboygan-Sauk-Columbia-Dodge-
Washington-Ozaukee-Iowa-Dane-Jefferson-Waukesha-Milwaukee-
Lafayette-Green-Rock-Walworth-Racine-Kenosha-
959 PM CDT Fri Jul 17 2026

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of east central
Wisconsin, south central Wisconsin and southeast Wisconsin.

.DAY ONE...Tonight

A slight chance of thunderstorms through the night.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Friday

Wildfire smoke is expected to contribute to lower visibilities
and unhealthy air quality again this weekend especially Saturday
night and Sunday.

Low chances of thunderstorms Saturday morning into the early
afternoon. Numerous thunderstorms, possibly severe, Monday into
Monday night.

High Swim Risk conditions may occur at all southern WI beaches
Saturday night.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation may be needed Monday and Monday night.

LMZ643>646-190300-
Sheboygan to Port Washington WI-
Port Washington to North Point Light WI-
North Point Light to Wind Point WI-
Wind Point WI to Winthrop Harbor IL-
959 PM CDT Fri Jul 17 2026

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the nearshore waters from
Sheboygan Wisconsin to Winthrop Harbor Illinois.

.DAY ONE...Tonight

Slight chances for thunderstorms late.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Friday

Wildfire smoke will return late Saturday afternoon and evening and
continue through Sunday. Lower visibilities and dense smoke may
be possible.

Low chances for thunderstorms Saturday then numerous thunderstorms,
possibly severe, Monday afternoon into Monday night.

Small Craft Advisory conditions expected Saturday night.

LMZ080-261-362-364-366-563-565-567-669-671-673-675-777-779-868-
870-872-874-876-878-190300-
Lake Michigan Michigan City IN to St. Joseph MI 5 NM offshore to
mid-line of lake.-
Lake Michigan from Seul Choix Point to Rock Island Passage 5NM
offshore to Mid Lake-
Lake Michigan South of a line from Seul Choix Point to the
Mackinac Bridge and North of a line from Charlevoix MI to South
Fox Island 5NM offshore-
Lake Michigan from Charlevoix to Point Betsie MI 5NM Offshore to
mid lake-
Lake Michigan from Point Betsie to Manistee MI 5NM offshore to
Mid Lake-
Lake Michigan from Rock Island Passage to Sturgeon Bay WI 5NM
offshore to mid lake-
Lake Michigan from Sturgeon Bay to Two Rivers WI 5NM offshore to
Mid Lake-
Lake Michigan from Two Rivers to Sheboygan WI 5NM offshore to Mid
Lake-
Lake Michigan from Sheboygan to Port Washington WI 5NM offshore
to Mid Lake-
Lake Michigan from Port Washington to North Point Light WI 5NM
offshore to Mid Lake-
Lake Michigan from North Point Light to Wind Point WI 5NM
offshore to Mid Lake-
Lake Michigan from Wind Point WI to Winthrop Harbor IL 5NM
offshore to Mid Lake-
Lake Michigan from Winthrop Harbor to Wilmette Harbor IL 5NM
offshore to Mid Lake-
Lake Michigan from Wilmette Harbor to Michigan City in 5NM
offshore to Mid Lake-
Lake Michigan from Pentwater to Manistee MI 5NM offshore to Mid
Lake-
Lake Michigan from Whitehall to Pentwater MI 5NM offshore to Mid
Lake-
Lake Michigan from Grand Haven to Whitehall MI 5NM offshore to
Mid Lake-
Lake Michigan from Holland to Grand Haven MI 5NM offshore to Mid
Lake-
Lake Michigan from South Haven to Holland MI 5NM offshore to Mid
lake-
Lake Michigan from St Joseph to South Haven MI 5NM offshore to
Mid Lake-
959 PM CDT Fri Jul 17 2026

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the open waters of Lake
Michigan.

.DAY ONE...Tonight

Areas of wildfire smoke continues with lower visibility over the
north half of the lake.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Friday

Widespread smoke will return from north to south across the lake
from Saturday afternoon into the evening, and continuing into
Sunday. Lower visibility and dense smoke is possible.

Low chances of thunderstorms Saturday then numerous thunderstorms,
possibly severe, for Monday into Monday night.

Southerly gales possible Monday afternoon and evening.

www.weather.gov/mkx

The office that day

Everything else NWS Milwaukee, WI issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 18, 2:06 AM CDTSmall Craft AdvisoryMKX29 hr
Jul 18, 3:33 AM CDTMarine Dense Smoke AdvisoryMKX51 hr

Nearby

Beach Hazards Statements in Wisconsin, 2026Every beach hazards statement in 2026

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.