Milwaukee will see high temperatures near 70 early this week, National Weather Service says

Average high temperatures for the middle of March in Milwaukee are in the low-to-mid 40s, but that won't be the case for the beginning of this week.

Milwaukee is expected to see highs in the 60s on Monday and Tuesday, followed by rainy, cooler weather later in the week.

A high of 64 degrees is in the forecast for Monday, said local National Weather Service meteorologist Andrew Quigley. This comes close to Milwaukee's March 11 record high of 66 degrees, which was set in 2012.

Tuesday should be even warmer, with a high of 69 degrees forecast for the city of Milwaukee and areas further from Lake Michigan "likely flirting with that 70-degree mark," Quigley said. But despite being about 25 degrees above average for this time of year, Tuesday's temps will likely fall short of Milwaukee's March 12 record of 76 degrees, set in 1990.

The warm weather early this week is due, in part, to a warm front following southwesterly winds in the forecast. Another likely contributor is the tail end of the winter's El Ni?o effect. El Ni?o was the main culprit behind Milwaukee's warmest winter on record, and its effects can continue producing above-normal temps into the early spring, Quigley said.

National Weather Service warns of elevated fire risk Monday and Tuesday

Low humidity, dry air and gusty winds could produce elevated fire weather conditions Monday and Tuesday, NWS warns. However, Quigley said the conditions aren't quite serious enough for the weather service to issue a Red Flag Warning.

"Still, it's always a good idea to practice some proper fire-weather safety on days like today," he said.

Safety tips include:

• Be conscientious if you need to burn anything or start an outdoor fire.

• Ensure that, if you're towing anything or using a trailer, no chains are dragging on the ground.

• Make sure you don't do anything that could accidentally cause a spark, grass fire or brush fire to break out.

Milwaukee is expected to see cooler temperatures and rain later this week

Winds coming in from the north will bring temperatures closer to normal for this time of year later in the week. Wednesday's forecast includes a high of 47 degrees and a low of 40, with a 40% chance of rain Wednesday night.

Precipitation is expected to continue on and off through Friday, Quigley said. Thursday's forecast features a high of 45 and a low of 34, along with a 70% chance of rain during the day and a 60% chance overnight.

Friday is expected to see a high of 46, with moderate chances of rain before 1 p.m.

"Right now, it looks like we'll stay mild enough for rain only in the Milwaukee area," Quigley said. "But, we'll be monitoring the overnight lows just in case anything changes there."

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee weather: Highs near 70 followed by high chance of rain