FORECAST CITY
Sign in
Shaded-relief map of Sussex, Wisconsin: rivers, roads, the city limits and where the water drains.
WISCONSIN · WAUKESHA COUNTY

Sussex

12,607 people, 950 ft above sea level in Waukesha County.

950 ftElevation, city center
12,607People, 2024 estimate
8 sq miLand area
Sunny 46°
Sunny now Dew point 29° · WNW 10 mph · high 42°
City of Sussex River Interstate 2 miles
Explore the plate Order a print

The Sussex plate. Relief from Copernicus GLO-30; rivers and lakes from USGS NHD; watersheds from the USGS Watershed Boundary Dataset; roads and city limits from Census TIGER 2024.

MILE1
TODAY

Today in Sussex

NWS forecast and National Blend of Models · updated 3:00 PM CST
RIGHT NOW General Mitchell International Airport (KMKE) · 2:52 PM
Sunny
46° Sunny Feels like 41° · high of 42° near 3 PM
WindWNW 10 mphno gusts
Humidity51%rising to 92% by morning
Pressure30.24 in →steady
Visibility10 mihaze-free
CloudsClear
UV index—no forecast
Dew point 29° · Dryabout the same for three days
DryComfortableStickyMuggyOppressive
NEXT RAIN
Partly cloudy
Thursday30% chance · showers
LIKELY AMOUNT—amounts come within 3 days
LAST RAINNov. 50.05 in · 9 dry days
ALERTS & OUTLOOKS
No watches or warnings for Waukesha County
NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan and the Storm Prediction Center · checked 3:47 PM
SUN & MOON
↑ 6:44 AM4:30 PM ↓
9 h 46 m of daylight, 2 minutes less than yesterday
Waxing crescent, 26% lit. Next full moon: Nov. 24.
AIR & POLLEN
16
GOODAir quality index · fine particles
Tomorrow: None, good. No pollen source yet.

The next three days, hour by hour

Sky: clear, cloudy, night Rain likely National Blend of Models
SATURDAY, NOV. 14
SUNDAY, NOV. 15
MONDAY, NOV. 16
TUESDAY, NOV. 17
3p
6p
9p
Mid
3a
6a
9a
Noon
3p
6p
9p
Mid
3a
6a
9a
Noon
3p
6p
9p
Mid
3a
6a
9a
Noon
mostly clear night
partly cloudy night
mostly clear night
mostly clear night
mostly clear night
mostly sunny
mostly sunny
clear day
clear night
mostly clear night
mostly clear night
mostly clear night
mostly clear night
mostly sunny
mostly sunny
mostly sunny
partly cloudy night
mostly clear night
mostly clear night
mostly clear night
clear night
mostly sunny
mostly sunny
mostly sunny
TEMPERATURE °F
42°
29°
45°
30°
49°
34°
CHANCE OF RAIN
50%
WIND, MPH
9
6
5
6
6
5
5
0
0
0
0
2
5
7
9
10
10
9
9
9
9
10
11
12
HOW IT FEELS · DEW POINT
Dry: dew points 26 to 34°

The next seven days, and how sure we are

Forecast, with the range 8 in 10 ensemble members agree on Normal, about 48° / 34°
SAT Nov. 14 Mostly sunny Mostly sunny
42° 29°
0% rain — NNW 9 A
SUN Nov. 15 Mostly sunny Mostly sunny
48° 30°
0% rain — NW 3 A
MON Nov. 16 Mostly sunny Mostly sunny
51° 34°
0% rain — SW 9 A
TUE Nov. 17 Mostly sunny Mostly sunny
54° 36°
0% rain — SSW 10 A
WED Nov. 18 Partly cloudy Partly cloudy
55° 44°
0% rain — S 13 B
THU Nov. 19 Partly cloudy Partly cloudy
58° 42°
30% rain — WSW 9 B
FRI Nov. 20 Partly cloudy Partly cloudy
57° 47°
30% rain — SSE 8 C
How sure are we? AModels agree: highs within 4° BSome spread: within 8° CWide spread: check back
Range from the National Blend of Models percentiles · graded on Forecast Scores
AIR MAIL

Where today’s air came from

The air arriving over Sussex about 5,000 feet above the ground was over British Columbia three days ago, and over the northern Plains a day ago, about 2,330 miles back along its path. It came down from about 10,800 feet up, warming and drying as it sank. Near the ground the air came from British Columbia; at 10,000 feet, from the open Pacific. It has stayed over land, which is why it feels dry. Traced back 72 hours through NOAA’s hourly RAP analyses and the GFS beyond them, nine paths at each of three heights.

THIS WEEK, FOUR YEARS AGO Nov. 11, 2022

The hottest this week has been

75° on Nov. 11, 2022, the hottest reading for this week of the year since 1944. Next is 71° in 1971.

71°
75°
19712022
Source: NOAA RCC-ACIS, the Germantown Wastewater Utility record since 1944.
MILE2
THE GROUND

What Sussex stands on

Sussex’s center stands about 950 ft above sea level. Within three miles the land runs from 830 ft to 1,090 ft, a difference of 260 ft: rolling country. The highest named summit within 15 miles is Holy Hill, about 1,350 ft, 9 miles northwest.

Under the town center the state geologic map shows Silurian, undivided (dolostone), from the Silurian, 422 to 445 million years old.

The section below crosses 3 rock units mapped at the surface.

Okauchee Lake to Brown Deer, cut in half

A section west to east, 24 miles through the town center
700 ft800 ft900 ft1,000 ft1,100 ft SUSSEX950 ftOkauchee Lake870 ftChenequa900 ftMerton1,000 ftLow point720 ft ← W · Okauchee LakeBrown Deer · E →

Heights every 0.1 mile from the Copernicus GLO-90 surface model; vertical exaggeration about 47×. The colored band under the surface is the rock the state geologic map shows at the surface, not a picture of what lies beneath.

Rock at the surface along the line

Silurian, undivided

Dolostone. Age: Silurian, 422 to 445 million years old. About 18 mi of the line.

Sinnipee Group

Dolostone. Age: Ordovician, 445 to 487 million years old. About 4 mi of the line.

Maquoketa Formation

Shale, dolostone. Age: Ordovician, 445 to 487 million years old. About 2 mi of the line.

From the USGS State Geologic Map Compilation (Horton and others, 2017), the states’ geologic maps joined at a common scale.

Heights from Copernicus GLO-90 (a surface model: it includes buildings and tree canopy); summits from USGS GNIS; rivers from USGS NHDPlus HR; rock from the USGS State Geologic Map Compilation.

MILE3
THE WATER

Where Sussex’s rain goes

A raindrop that lands in Sussex reaches the Gulf of America by way of the Pewaukee, the Fox River, the Illinois and the Mississippi: about 1,620 river miles.

THE WAY DOWN, TO SCALE
Sussex≈ 1,620 mi · the Gulf of America
FROM THE CENTER OF SUSSEX ≈ 1,620 mi to the Gulf of America Pewaukee → Fox River → Illinois → Mississippi

Lakes on the way: Peoria Lake and Fox Lake.

1,190 miles of the trip are on the Mississippi.

Traced down the USGS NHDPlus V2.1 river network from the Census center point of Sussex; river miles along the main stem, rounded.

MILE5
THE ALMANAC

Sussex’s year

1991–2020 normals · records since 1944 · Germantown Wastewater Utility, 9 mi northeast

Sussex has a warm-summer humid continental climate. Summer afternoons average 81° in July; winter nights fall to about 11° in January. A normal year brings about 54 inches of snow; with the rain, that comes to about 34 inches of water.

27°11°31°14°42°24°54°34°66°45°76°54°81°60°79°58°72°50°59°39°45°28°33°18° JANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDEC 1234 TODAY SUSSEX 34.4 in rain and snowmelt
Normal high to low, by month Record high to low, by day Rain by month Freezing
July, average81° / 60°high / low, the warmest month
January, average27° / 11°high / low, the coldest month
Rain and melted snow34.4 inwettest months: June and May
Snow a year54.3 insnowiest: January
Hottest on record104°FJuly 6, 2012
Coldest on record−40°FJanuary 11, 1982
Wettest day on record8.62 inAugust 10, 2025
Snowiest day on record15.3 inFebruary 7, 2008
90° days a year7very few reach 100°
Nights at or below 32°156and 62 days that stay below freezing
Climate typeWarm-summer humid continentalKöppen Dfb

AROUND THE RING

1Freeze seasonfrom the first fall freeze, about Oct. 5, to the last in spring, about May 5 (median dates)
2Highs below freezingDec. 17 to Feb. 20; normal highs stay below 32°
3Lows below freezingNov. 3 to April 11; normal lows fall below 32°
4Wettest stretchMay through July: 12.2 of the year’s 34.4 inches
NOVEMBER 14 IN THE RECORD

On November 14 Sussex normally reaches 46° and falls to 28°. The record high is 68°, in 1989; the record low 1°, in 1986. The most rain on this date, 0.91 in, fell in 1957.

MONTH BY MONTH
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Normal high27°31°42°54°66°76°81°79°72°59°45°33°
Normal low11°14°24°34°45°54°60°58°50°39°28°18°
Rain and melt, in1.571.441.903.843.954.373.923.803.222.642.001.73
Snow, inches16.516.06.52.00.30.00.00.00.00.32.410.3
Record high58° (2013)72° (2024)83° (2012)89° (1980)93° (2018)99° (1988)104° (2012)102° (1988)99° (1953)89° (1963)77° (1950)67° (2001)
Record low−40° (1982)−28° (1996)−20° (1962)7° (1982)20° (1966)23° (1990)36° (1993)33° (1992)22° (1993)8° (1993)−15° (1976)−25° (1983)

Normals 1991–2020 and records since 1944 at Germantown Wastewater Utility, 9 miles northeast. NOAA, through RCC-ACIS.

MILE7
ON THE NETWORK

Around Sussex on the Forecast Network

Neighboring plates

Milwaukee WI · 14 MI 14 miles east Racine WI · 35 MI 35 miles southeast Madison WI · 61 MI 61 miles west Chicago IL · 94 MI 94 miles south Aurora IL · 95 MI 95 miles south Grand Rapids MI · 130 MI 130 miles east
FORECASTCITY
Map of Sussex, Wisconsin. Explore the plate
WISCONSIN · WAUKESHA

Sussex

12,607 people, 950 ft above sea level in Waukesha County.

950 ftElevation
12,607People
8 sq miLand
Sunny 46°
SunnyDew point 29°
1

Today in Sussex

NEXT 15 HOURS
Now mostly sunny 42° 0%
6p mostly clear night 40° 0%
9p mostly clear night 37° 0%
12a mostly clear night 34° 0%
3a mostly clear night 32° 0%
6a mostly clear night 29° 0%
Partly cloudy
NEXT RAINThursday · 30%
→
Sat0%
Mostly sunny Mostly sunny
29
42
A
Sun0%
Mostly sunny Mostly sunny
30
48
A
Mon0%
Mostly sunny Mostly sunny
34
51
A
Tue0%
Mostly sunny Mostly sunny
36
54
A
Wed0%
Partly cloudy Partly cloudy
44
55
B
Thu30%
Partly cloudy Partly cloudy
42
58
B
Fri30%
Partly cloudy Partly cloudy
47
57
C
Letters show how sure the forecast is: A, models agree; B, some spread; C, check back. Sample data.
THIS WEEK, FOUR YEARS AGO · NOV. 11, 2022

75°, the hottest this week of the year has been since 1944.

2

What Sussex stands on

Sussex’s center stands about 950 ft above sea level. Within three miles the land runs from 830 ft to 1,090 ft, a difference of 260 ft: rolling country. The highest named summit within 15 miles is Holy Hill, about 1,350 ft, 9 miles northwest.

Sussex, west to east Sussex950 ft ← WE → 24 miles through the town center; vertical exaggeration about 89×. Colors: rock at the surface.
Elevation, center950 ft
Within 3 miles830 to 1,090 ft
Lie of the landRolling (260 ft of relief)
High point nearbyHoly Hill, 1,350 ft, 9 mi northwest
Rock at the surfaceSilurian, undivided
Its ageSilurian, 422 to 445 million years old
5

Sussex’s year

Sussex has a warm-summer humid continental climate. Summer afternoons average 81° in July; winter nights fall to about 11° in January. A normal year brings about 54 inches of snow; with the rain, that comes to about 34 inches of water.

JANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDEC 1234 34.4 in
July, average81° / 60° · high / low, the warmest month
January, average27° / 11° · high / low, the coldest month
Rain and melted snow34.4 in · wettest months: June and May
Snow a year54.3 in · snowiest: January
Hottest on record104°F · July 6, 2012
Coldest on record−40°F · January 11, 1982
Wettest day on record8.62 in · August 10, 2025
Snowiest day on record15.3 in · February 7, 2008
90° days a year7 · very few reach 100°
Nights at or below 32°156 · and 62 days that stay below freezing
Climate typeWarm-summer humid continental · Köppen Dfb
1Freeze season · from the first fall freeze, about Oct. 5, to the last in spring, about May 5 (median dates)
2Highs below freezing · Dec. 17 to Feb. 20; normal highs stay below 32°
3Lows below freezing · Nov. 3 to April 11; normal lows fall below 32°
4Wettest stretch · May through July: 12.2 of the year’s 34.4 inches
NOVEMBER 14 IN THE RECORD

On November 14 Sussex normally reaches 46° and falls to 28°. The record high is 68°, in 1989; the record low 1°, in 1986. The most rain on this date, 0.91 in, fell in 1957.

Normals 1991–2020 and records since 1944 at Germantown Wastewater Utility, 9 miles northeast. NOAA, through RCC-ACIS.
3

Where the rain goes

≈ 1,620 mito the Gulf of AmericaPewaukee → Fox River → Illinois → Mississippi

A raindrop that lands in Sussex reaches the Gulf of America by way of the Pewaukee, the Fox River, the Illinois and the Mississippi: about 1,620 river miles.

Lakes on the way: Peoria Lake and Fox Lake.

1,190 miles of the trip are on the Mississippi.