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Environment in Wisconsin

Air quality, wildfires, drought, water and emissions.

Monitored days with good air quality
76.5%
2025 · U.S. EPA AirData
Annual fires
≈ 1,100
Area in drought (D1–D4), yearly average
21.8%
2025 · U.S. Drought Monitor
Total withdrawals
≈ 5.9 B gal/day
Energy-related CO₂ emissions
92.5
2021 · U.S. EIA State Energy Data System
Average annual temperature
44.6
2025 · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information

Air Quality

Pollution levels.

Monitored days with good air quality
76.5%
2025 · U.S. EPA AirData
Monitored days unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse
2.3%
2025 · U.S. EPA AirData
Average PM2.5
7.6 µg/m³
Ozone alerts
Lake Michigan shoreline

Monitored days with good air quality

1990–2025
76.5%

U.S. EPA AirData, Annual AQI by County, all monitored Wisconsin counties.

Monitored days unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse

1990–2025
2.3%

U.S. EPA AirData, Annual AQI by County (AQI above 100).

IndicatorWisconsinU.S.
Average PM2.5 (µg/m³)7.68.2
  • •Ozone drifting across Lake Michigan from Chicago gives Wisconsin's shoreline counties their worst air-quality days.

Wildfires

Fire activity.

Annual fires
≈ 1,100
Acres burned
≈ 3,000
Risk level
Low
IndicatorWisconsinU.S.
Acres burned per year (thousands)37000
  • •Wisconsin's fire risk concentrates each spring in the sandy central and north-western pine barrens.

Drought

Dry conditions.

Area in drought (D1–D4), yearly average
21.8%
2025 · U.S. Drought Monitor
Area in extreme or exceptional drought (D3–D4)
0.0%
2025 · U.S. Drought Monitor
Severe drought
Occasional
Risk level
Low

Area in drought (D1–D4), yearly average

2000–2025
21.8%

U.S. Drought Monitor (NDMC / USDA / NOAA), average of weekly maps.

Area in extreme or exceptional drought (D3–D4)

2000–2025
0%

U.S. Drought Monitor (NDMC / USDA / NOAA), average of weekly maps.

IndicatorWisconsinU.S.
Share of area in drought (%)1026
  • •The 2023 flash drought hit Wisconsin's dairy forage crops hard despite the state's usually wet climate.

Water Usage

Water withdrawals.

Total withdrawals
≈ 5.9 B gal/day
Main use
Thermoelectric power
Public supply
≈ 0.6 B gal/day
IndicatorWisconsinU.S.
Water withdrawals per capita (gal/day)9901000
  • •Wisconsin borders two Great Lakes and holds more than 15,000 inland lakes.

Emissions

Greenhouse gases.

Energy-related CO₂ emissions
92.5
2021 · U.S. EIA State Energy Data System
Transportation CO₂ emissions
29.4
2021 · U.S. EIA State Energy Data System
Rank
23rd in the U.S.
Per capita
15.5 t

Energy-related CO₂ emissions

1970–2021
92.5▲ 5%

U.S. EIA State Energy Data System, all sectors and fuels (FRED EMISSCO2TOTVTTTOWIA).

Transportation CO₂ emissions

1970–2021
29.4▲ 54%

U.S. EIA State Energy Data System, transportation sector (FRED EMISSCO2TOTVTCTOWIA).

IndicatorWisconsinU.S.
CO2 emissions per capita (t)15.514.4
  • •Wisconsin's emissions have fallen roughly 20% since 2005 as coal plants closed.

Climate Indicators

Temperature and rainfall.

Average annual temperature
44.6
2025 · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
Annual precipitation
30.6
2025 · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
Average temperature
6.0 °C
Warming since 1900
+1.0 °C

Average annual temperature

1895–2025
44.6▲ 8%

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Climate at a Glance, statewide January–December average.

Annual precipitation

1895–2025
30.64▲ 32%

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Climate at a Glance, statewide January–December total.

IndicatorWisconsinU.S.
Annual precipitation (mm)840767
  • •Wisconsin winters have warmed faster than its summers, shortening the ice-fishing season by weeks.
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