Severe storms possible Friday afternoon, rain Saturday and Sunday could dampen firefighter's ride
By Capital Newspapers staff
A double whammy of weather fronts is poised to sweep through southern Wisconsin on Friday, bringing the possibility of severe storms to the region.
The National Weather Service said a low pressure system in Canada will intensify and track across the Great Lakes Friday and Saturday, resulting in a warm front moving through Friday afternoon followed by a cold front Friday night.
The fronts are expected to trigger showers and thunderstorms, especially Friday night, with the likelihood for some of the storms becoming severe.
Rain should clear out late Friday night, but showers and storms could return both Saturday and Sunday, most likely during the warmer afternoon and evening hours.
Highs should reach the upper-70s to 80 on Friday, the mid-70s on Saturday and the upper-70s on Sunday.
Weather Central meteorologist Brian Olson said a few showers are possible Monday and Monday night with a high of 79, while Tuesday and Wednesday should be partly sunny with highs in the upper-70s.
Thursday's high in Madison was 80, 2 degrees below normal and 21 degrees below the record high of 101 for July 23, set in 1934.
The low on Thursday was 55, 7 degrees below normal and 9 degrees above the record low of 46 for the day, set in 1985.
A trace of rain was recorded at the airport on Thursday, but rainfall amounts varied widely across the region as scattered showers and storms popped up across south central Wisconsin.
Community Events
July 24
• The Tripp Memorial Museum in Prairie du Sac will host its Rockathon Fundraiser from 5 to 8 p.m. July 24. Young ladies will be rocking in their chairs in front of the museum, 565 Water St. in Prairie du Sac to raise money for the Sauk Prairie Area Historical Society. Donations will keep them rocking. Visitors can also have a gelato for $1 from the Blue Spoon Cafe, while listening to music and encouraging the girls to keep on rockin'. Certificates for Blue Spoon pizza will be available for all attendees. Outdoor seating is available in the picnic area next to the Tripp Museum.
July 25
•The Wisconsin State Firefighters Memorial Ride for Remembrance will leave Sauk Prairie Harley-Davidson at 11:30 a.m. on its way toward Lodi. The fundraiser for the state firefighters memorial in Wisconsin Rapids will travel on Phillips Boulevard and turn north on Madison Street. From there, the line of motorcycles will turn onto Prairie Road and cross the Wisconsin River on Highway 60. The event is hosed by the Sauk City Fire Department and Sauk Prairie Harley-Davidson. It is open to the public for a registration fee. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. at the dealership.
• Sauk Prairie High School's first graduating class, class of 1964, will celebrate its 45th reunion at 6 p.m. July 25 at the VFW Park in Prairie du Sac. Classmates should bring a snack or appetizer to share. A Web site, www.sphs64.com, has been created that features pictures, newspaper advertisements of local business from that era, class pictures of the rural schools, local Sauk Prairie promotions and many classmate pictures from the grade and high school years. Classmates are encouraged to submit current photos and personal updates to the site. For more information, call Jack Berndt at (608) 445-1445 or jberndt@wisc.edu, Dan Endres at 849-5465 or endres5@chorus.net or Linda Wiedenfeld at 643-7806 or lwied1@verizon.net.
July 26
• The Sprecher family reunion is at noon July 26 at the St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Prairie du Sac. Attendees should bring a dish to pass and their own plates and silverware. A beverage will be provided. A donation of $3-5 for expenses will be accepted. There will be a silent auction and attendees can bring an item for the auction.
Now to October
• An exhibit of rocking chairs of all eras is at the Tripp Memorial Museum, 565 Water St. in Prairie du Sac now to October from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays. Local residents have shared their family rocking chairs with the history involved in each piece.
Area Events
July 25
• The Sauk County Historical Society will commemorate the anniversary of William H. Canfield measuring Man Mound with a Measuring the Mound event from 1 to 3 p.m. July 25 at the Man Mound Park, four miles east of Baraboo on Man Mound Road.
July 26
• Nancy Rago's Class Act Big Band and her Gem City Combo is performing a free concert sponsored by the Friends of Devil's Lake at 6 p.m. July 26 at the north shore at Devil's Lake State Park. In case of rain the event will be in the Chateau. A state park sticker is required when entering the park. For more information, call Marcia Swanson at (608) 355-0444.