Situated on the western shore of Lake Michigan at the confluence of the Milwaukee, Menomonee, and Kinnickinnic rivers, Milwaukee experiences a continental climate characterized by a wide range of temperatures. The frequently changeable weather is influenced by eastward-moving storms that cross the middle section of the nation. Severe winter storms often produce ten inches of snow, and incursions of arctic air result in several days of bitterly cold weather. The Great Lakes influence the local climate during all seasons, modifying air masses before they reach the city; Lake Michigan, in particular, causes dramatic shifts in temperature. Summer temperatures seldom exceed 100 degrees, although a combination of high temperatures and humidity occasionally develops.
Area: 96.1 square miles (2000)
Elevation: 581.2 feet above sea level
Average Temperatures: January, 29.4° F; July, 77.7° F; annual average, 46.8° F
Average Annual Precipitation: 32 inches of rain; 45 inches of snow