riddlekitty

Going to Milwaukee/Madison area somewhere between November and January. I have researched things to do and places to see but just wonder how the road conditions are during this time. Being from Atlanta, an inch of snow shuts our town down and I wouldn't know what to expect from this area.
Looks like a lot of things are closed for the season too - any feedback? Just gotta take a cold trip cause it's so hot in the ATL!

eileenleft

Greetings from Madison!
You can count on brisk weather. Be ready to bundle up. There could be any amount of snow-or none at all. I remember the year it snowed 17" on December 5-and lots of years with no snow by Christmas. The only things that I know are closed for the season are outdoor water parks. The ski/tubing hills will make snow if necessary.

xxxx

There's a lot of room for variation between November and January! Can you narrow it down a bit?

What "things" are closed and what are you looking to do?

mgmargate

Is there a specific reason you're going to Milwaukee?Something smells here.It's too hot in Atlanta in the winter.Yea right.

janeygirl

As others have already mentioned, the weather is variable during those months. December, I believe, generally has the heaviest snowfall of those three months but that's not something you can count on.

If it does snow, the roads are cleared quickly (well, that 17" snowfall slowed us down a bit). Remember to take it slow if you're not accustomed to winter driving.

riddlekitty

hey, what can i say? it's hot about 8 months out of the year in atlanta and really cold weather is a novelty. just thought that visiting milwaukee / madison would give us a chance to see some good, cold weather. it also looks quite quaint in some surrounding areas such as new glarus or cedarburg. are places like the "house on the rock" worth driving to? not much into skiing, so i was just wondering what all other places are open year-round. some things seem to keep april - october hours.

mgmargate

Go to Milwaukee i'm sure you'll have a great time.

madameX

Weather can vary a lot. Some winters have been snow-ier than others, some colder than others. Just plan for cold. Like other snowy locations, they handle snow pretty well here, i.e. very proactive in clearing things away. However, depending on your exact location, residential areas are the second priority in plowing.

Good performing arts in Milwaukee, as well as a decent Milwaukee Art Museum that has interesting special shows and a fabulous new building on the lakefront. If you are locating to one of the western burbs, Mayfair Mall will keep you reasonably happy.

Also: you will be only about a 1.5-2 hour drive to Chicago if you want to go for a day-trip or a long weekend. Great shopping and neighborhoods, and very good fine and performing arts opportunities, blues clubs, superb dining, etc.

ktyson

Hi,
I live in Milwaukee, and have for most of my life. Any questions you have I'm sure I could answer. We rarely have snow in November, but the temperature does start dropping. By December we may have some for Christmas, but I remember one year when it was 70 degrees on Christmas Day. January is usually cold and snowy. Here in Milwaukee in the winter either it is snowing or it is too cold to snow(below 20 degrees). But even int the snow there is still plenty to do. If you enjoy ice skating we have the Petit Ice Center (som olympians have practiced there). If you prefer skating outdoors there is Red Arrow Park, near downtown. In November we have our Holiday Folk Fair (educational and fun). We also have the Christmas parade (usually the saturday before thanksgiving). Milwaukee is a very ethnic city, so we have many excellent ethnic restuarants. Post your food preferences, and I can make some great recommendations. Between Thanksgiving and Christmas there are some great Theatrical producions (A Christmas Carol, Nutcracker, etc. Check Ticketmaster.com for recommendations and tickets.

placeu2

kitty: I am anxious to help here but I can't quite tell what you want. Milw. is a major city. Madison is also fairly major but has more "ice" things (fishing jamborees, sculpting, sailing, etc.) going on and is a big college town.

House on the Rock is quite the attraction if you like over the top wackiness.

If you want WI in the winter and an assurance of serious snow, I recommend going further North. Try Green Bay/Appleton or Wausau or plan to go to the World Championship snowmobile races in Eagle River. Get out and try some cross country skiing or an old fashioned sleigh ride. That kind of stuff is tough to do in cities.
WI Dells is neat in Winter and they have a nice winter festival you could look up. House on the rock is a day trip from there.

January and February will be the coldest months. November will put you right in the middle of deer hunting (religion in WI) season.

JES

I'm probably going to be lambasted for saying this--but truth be told--go somewhere else!! The ONLY time Milwaukee is nice to visit is in the summer. Other than that, it is unbelievably boring. We rarely get snow because of the "lake effect" from Lake Michigan. You can go to places like Door County, and outer places for snow mobiling, etc....wherever you can find the snow but it is a hike to get to these places. In Milwaukee, people hibernate, spend time with family, or go to the Mayfair Mall. Even if you are not a skiier, if you want a beautiful Nov/Dec in winter weather, go to Colorado. The mountains and rivers are so beautiful to look at (there is not much that is beautiful to look at in the winter in Milwaukee--very grey, and flat), there are winter activities such as ice skating, snow shoeing, etc in an incredible surrounding with lots of great food and great shopping.