ckoplien@todaystmj4.com

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This weekend is going to go from cold to colder...and a few snowflakes aren't out of the question before the weekend is done.

Before I get to the forecast for the weekend, I thought I'd run through a few "first snowfall" statistics for Milwaukee.

The Earliest first TRACE of snow:
September 20, 1954

The Earliest first MEASURABLE snow (greater than 0.1"):
October 6, 1889

The Earliest first GREATER THAN 1" snowfall:
October 17, 1896

The Average first TRACE of snow:
October 28

The Average first MEASURABLE snow (greater than 0.1"):
November 14

The Average first GREATER THAN 1" snowfall:
December 2

The Latest first TRACE of snow:
December 5, 1999

The Latest first MEASURABLE snow (greater than 0.1"):
December 26, 1888

The Latest first GREATER THAN 1" snowfall:
January 20, 1889

The big story of the weekend forecast is that it will likely bring an end to the growing season.  Perhaps not tonight, but probably tomorrow night.

The National Weather Service has issued a FROST ADVISORY for Tonight...and a FREEZE WATCH for Saturday Night.

Tonight's lows will range from the upper 30s in the city of Milwaukee to near 30 out in the countryside.  That means a widespread frost will be on the ground there on Saturday morning.  Sensitive plants and other vegetation may not make it through that frost.  Heartier plants might.

Anything that does stay living through tonight/Saturday Morning's cold will probably be killed off on Saturday Night/Sunday Morning.  Lows at that point will be in the mid 20s.  That constitutes a killing freeze which likely means the end of the growing season.

After today's light rain and drizzle moves out, our next chance for precipitation is Sunday Night.  When that happens, it may be just cold enough for what falls to be a mix of rain and snow.  Current projections suggest that whatever falls will be light.  And even if there is some snow, the ground won't be cold enough for it to stick.

Stay warm this weekend!