Alert archive / Wisconsin / Beach Hazards Statements in 2026

Beach Hazards Statement 21, NWS Milwaukee, WI

September 17, 2026Kenosha County, Milwaukee County, Racine County, Wisconsin

NWS Milwaukee, WI issued this beach hazards statement at Sep 17, 2026, 2:16 PM CDT for Kenosha County, Milwaukee County, Racine County, Wisconsin. It took effect at Sep 18, 2026, 7:00 AM CDT. It was in force for 7 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Sep 17, 2026, 2:16 PM CDT (19:16 UTC)
In effect from
Sep 18, 2026, 7:00 AM CDT
Expired
Sep 18, 2026, 2:00 PM CDT
In force
7 hr
Issued by
NWS Milwaukee, WI

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

The radar

The Milwaukee radar (KMKX), 60 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:21 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

Lincoln, IL (KILX), launched 12:00Z, 7.3 hours before the alert went out and 298 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, Lincoln, IL at 12:00Z on 2026-09-17Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1190 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Lincoln, IL at 12:00Z on 2026-09-17The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 168 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
1190 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-114 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1286 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
26 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
168 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
140 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

228 
WHUS43 KMKX 171916
CFWMKX

Lakeshore Hazard Message
National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
216 PM CDT Thu Sep 17 2026

WIZ066-071-072-180330-
/O.NEW.KMKX.BH.S.0021.260918T1200Z-260918T1900Z/
Milwaukee-Racine-Kenosha-
216 PM CDT Thu Sep 17 2026

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH
FRIDAY AFTERNOON...

* WHAT...Life threatening waves of 3 to 4 feet and dangerous 
  currents are expected.

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

* WHEN...From Friday morning through Friday afternoon.

* 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.

&&

$$
3 follow-up statements
373 
WHUS43 KMKX 172333
CFWMKX

Lakeshore Hazard Message
National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
633 PM CDT Thu Sep 17 2026

WIZ066-071-072-180745-
/O.CON.KMKX.BH.S.0021.260918T1200Z-260918T1900Z/
Milwaukee-Racine-Kenosha-
633 PM CDT Thu Sep 17 2026

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY MORNING
THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON...

* WHAT...Life threatening waves of 3 to 4 feet and dangerous 
  currents are expected.

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

* WHEN...From Friday morning through Friday afternoon.

* 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.

&&

$$
419 
WHUS43 KMKX 180516
CFWMKX

Lakeshore Hazard Message
National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
1216 AM CDT Fri Sep 18 2026

WIZ066-071-072-181330-
/O.CON.KMKX.BH.S.0021.260918T1200Z-260918T1900Z/
Milwaukee-Racine-Kenosha-
1216 AM CDT Fri Sep 18 2026

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM CDT THIS
MORNING THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON...

* WHAT...Life threatening waves of 3 to 4 feet and dangerous 
  currents are expected.

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

* WHEN...From Friday morning through Friday afternoon.

* 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.

&&

$$
747 
WHUS43 KMKX 181903
CFWMKX

Lakeshore Hazard Message
National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
203 PM CDT Fri Sep 18 2026

WIZ066-071-072-190315-
/O.EXP.KMKX.BH.S.0021.000000T0000Z-260918T1900Z/
/O.NEW.KMKX.BH.S.0022.260919T0300Z-260920T0600Z/
Milwaukee-Racine-Kenosha-
203 PM CDT Fri Sep 18 2026

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM CDT THIS EVENING
THROUGH LATE SATURDAY NIGHT...

* WHAT...Life threatening waves of 4 to 7 feet and dangerous 
  currents are expected.

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

* WHEN...From 10 PM CDT this evening through late Saturday night.

* 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.

&&

$$

WIZ052-060-190315-
/O.NEW.KMKX.BH.S.0022.260919T0300Z-260920T0600Z/
Sheboygan-Ozaukee-
203 PM CDT Fri Sep 18 2026

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM CDT THIS EVENING
THROUGH LATE SATURDAY NIGHT...

* WHAT...Life threatening waves of 4 to 7 feet and dangerous 
  currents are expected.

* WHERE...Sheboygan and Ozaukee Counties.

* WHEN...From 10 PM CDT this evening through late Saturday night.

* 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.

&&

$$

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 17, 11:47 AM CDTMarine Dense Fog AdvisoryMKX3 hr
Sep 17, 2:52 PM CDTSmall Craft AdvisoryMKX23 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.