Will It Rain in Milwaukee Today?

Milwaukee is a carry-an-umbrella city: rain on roughly 28% of days

Milwaukee records about 869mm of rain across roughly 104 wet days a year, which is a 28% chance on an average day. June is the wettest month at 92mm (11% of the annual total) and February the driest at 35mm. Local rain type: snow mix. Milwaukee gets Lake Michigan-influenced weather — lake-effect snow in winter and summer thunderstorms. The Skywalk system connects downtown buildings.

Chance of rain on an average day: 28%

Rainfall climatology for Milwaukee. The live hour-by-hour answer for today loads at the top of this page from Open-Meteo and refreshes through the day — the figures below describe a typical year, not today.

Last updated: · Live forecast data refreshes hourly.

Key numbers for Milwaukee

Annual rainfall869mm
Rain days per year104
Odds on an average day28%
Wettest monthJune — 92mm over 13 days
Driest monthFebruary — 35mm over 5 days
Rain typesnow mix
Best dry windowSeptember offers warm, dry conditions before the long winter.
Worst rain windowNovember through March brings cold and snow.

What the data actually tells you

Wettest against driest

June delivers 163% more rain than February (92mm vs 35mm). That gap is the difference between planning around showers and ignoring them.

How concentrated the rain is

No single month holds more than 11% of the annual total, so rain in Milwaukee is spread through the year — there is no season you can rely on being dry.

Umbrella or jacket

Milwaukee rain typically comes as discrete showers, so a compact umbrella and a flexible plan are usually enough.

Wet-day frequency

Rain falls on about 13 days in June against 5 in February — the frequency swing matters more for planning than the millimetre totals.

Monthly rainfall in Milwaukee

Climate normals. Use them to judge whether today's live forecast at the top of the page is typical or unusual for the season.

MonthRainfallRain daysChance on a given dayHighs
January38mm517%-1°C
February35mm517%-1°C
March52mm723%3°C
April72mm1033%10°C
May72mm1033%17°C
June92mm1343%24°C
July84mm1137%28°C
August78mm1137%28°C
September78mm1137%24°C
October62mm827%17°C
November56mm827%10°C
December42mm620%3°C

Planning around rain in Milwaukee

How we turn rain data into a yes or no

Rain probability is the chance that at least 0.2mm falls at your location — not how long it rains. For Milwaukee we combine the hourly probability curve, expected volume in millimetres, and the city's own rainfall record into a single umbrella verdict.

FactorWeightWhat it measures
Hourly probability 40% Peak and sustained chance of measurable rain across the next 24 hours.
Expected volume 30% Total millimetres, which separates a passing shower from a genuine soaking.
Timing & duration 20% When rain starts, when it eases, and the longest continuous dry window.
Local rain type 10% Drizzle, brief showers, thunderstorms or monsoon — each needs different gear.

Live hourly values come from Open-Meteo and refresh through the day. Monthly rainfall figures are climate normals, so they describe a typical year rather than a forecast.

Frequently asked questions

How often does it rain in Milwaukee?

Milwaukee records rain on roughly 104 days a year — about a 28% chance on any given day — totalling around 869mm.

What is the rainiest month in Milwaukee?

June, with about 92mm over 13 rain days. That is 11% of the entire year's rainfall in a single month.

When is the driest time in Milwaukee?

February is the driest month at 35mm across roughly 5 days. September offers warm, dry conditions before the long winter.

Do I need an umbrella in Milwaukee?

Milwaukee gets Lake Michigan-influenced weather — lake-effect snow in winter and summer thunderstorms. The Skywalk system connects downtown buildings.

Does a 40% rain probability mean it will rain for 40% of the day?

No. Probability is the chance that at least 0.2mm of rain falls at your location at some point in the period. Check the expected millimetres alongside it: 40% with 0.4mm is a passing shower, 40% with 12mm is a soaking.

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