Madison, WI Weather Forecast

Madison, WI Weather
81°F Mostly Cloudy Current conditions
Sat — 68°F
Sun 92°F 72°F
Mon 91°F 67°F
Tue 85°F 62°F
Wed 85°F 63°F
Thu 86°F 66°F
Fri 86°F 66°F

Tonight: 68°F
Partly cloudy, with a low around 68. Southwest wind around 5 mph.

Sunday: 92°F
Patchy fog between 7am and 8am. Partly sunny, with a high near 92. Heat index values as high as 102. South wind 5 to 15 mph.

Sunday Night: 72°F
A slight chance of rain showers between 9pm and 10pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72. Heat index values as high as 101. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Monday: 91°F
A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 10am, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91. Heat index values as high as 103. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Monday Night: 67°F
A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 7pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 67. Northwest wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Tuesday: 85°F
Sunny, with a high near 85. North wind 5 to 10 mph.

Tuesday Night: 62°F
Mostly clear, with a low around 62. Northeast wind 0 to 5 mph.

Wednesday: 85°F
Sunny, with a high near 85. Northeast wind 0 to 5 mph.

Wednesday Night: 63°F
Mostly clear, with a low around 63.

Thursday: 86°F
Mostly sunny, with a high near 86.

More Weather Resources:

Madison, WI Weather by Season

Madison, Wisconsin experiences a classic humid continental climate (Köppen: Dfa), delivering four sharp and dramatically different seasons each year. With an annual average temperature of around 47°F, that single number hides extremes that range from bitter cold winters to warm, humid summers. Here is what to expect throughout the year.

❄️ Winter (December – February)

Madison winters are cold, snowy, and unrelenting. Average lows hover around 9–15°F, while daytime highs rarely climb above the upper 20s°F. January is the coldest month, with overnight lows averaging around 9°F. The city accumulates roughly 50 inches of snow annually, with December and January being the snowiest months. Wind chill can make temperatures feel dangerously low, so layering is essential — think thermal underlayers, a heavy insulated coat, waterproof boots, and a windproof outer shell. The driest month of the year is also January, with only about 1.25 inches of total precipitation.

🌸 Spring (March – May)

Spring arrives gradually and often reluctantly. March still brings an average of nearly 8 inches of snow alongside early rain showers, with temperatures ranging from 25°F to 45°F. By May, snow is essentially gone and highs climb into the mid-60s°F. Overall, spring delivers average temperatures between 35°F and 65°F and around 8 inches of precipitation across roughly 30 rainy days. As the ice melts on Lakes Mendota and Monona, outdoor enthusiasts flock back to the city’s parks, trails, and waterways. Late May and early June are considered among the best times to visit, offering mild conditions and lush scenery.

☀️ Summer (June – August)

Madison summers are warm, humid, and occasionally punctuated by thunderstorms. Average highs reach around 82°F in July — the warmest month — while overnight lows average a comfortable 59°F. The season sees the most sunshine, with July averaging over 10 hours of daylight per day. June is typically the wettest month of the year, with precipitation reaching around 4.6 inches. Despite the humidity, summer is the city’s most beloved season, perfect for boating, kayaking, and swimming across Madison’s five lakes. Thunderstorms can bring heavy bursts of rain, so keeping an eye on the forecast is wise.

🍂 Autumn (September – November)

Fall in Madison is crisp, colorful, and relatively mild in its early weeks. September temperatures range comfortably from the mid-60s°F down through the 40s°F by November. Autumn brings some of the most visually stunning weather of the year as the surrounding forests put on a brilliant foliage display. Early fall (September–October) is considered one of the best times to visit Madison, combining comfortable temperatures with lower precipitation and fewer crowds. By November, temperatures dip sharply and the first snowflakes of the season can begin to appear, signaling winter’s imminent return.

Key Climate Takeaways

  • Annual average temperature: 47°F
  • Hottest month: July (avg. high 82°F)
  • Coldest month: January (avg. low ~9°F)
  • Annual snowfall: ~50 inches
  • Wettest month: June (~4.6 inches of precipitation)
  • Best times to visit: Late May–June or September–October

MadisonClick Weather History:

Back in the 90s, MadisonClick was an email newsletter (called MadisOn-Line), and there was a call that came in from MadisonClick every morning to Channel 27. (WKOW) They would give us a weather report to type and send out to our list. So, we honor that by giving them a link on this page.

References:

Forecast provided by Weather.gov.