Winter storms are certainly not news around these parts. We know that heavy snow and blizzard conditions are possible at pretty much any moment during our long winters and, to some extent, it doesn’t even really phase us all that much anymore. However, over the course of the history of our state, we’ve been hit by some pretty big, scary, and occasionally devastating storms. From snow to ice and high wind gusts, the conditions here during a winter storm can be pretty overwhelming. Based on state weather records, here are some of the biggest winter storms in Wisconsin over the past 150 years or so:

1. March 1881
Wisconsin Historical Society
The south and central parts of the state were hit with two to four feet of snow. Winds created drifts of to 20 feet! Milwaukee reported 28.5 inches of snow in 48 hours. Between February 24th and March 20th, 1881, Milwaukee received 63.7 inches of snow. Although this blizzard happened before official record-keeping began, it is thought to have been the worst snowstorm ever to hit the Madison area. Over a three day period, a total of 28 1/2 inches of snow fell in the city.
2. December 1904
Wisconsin Historical Society
This storm brought heavy snow and ice to much of the state, and still stands as the single largest 24-hour snowfall with a formidable 26 inches of the fluffy stuff falling in Neillsville in Clark County.
3. November 1940
Life Magazine Archives
Known as the Armistice Day Blizzard, this storm brought heavy snow with winds of 50 to 80 miles per hour, causing 10 to 20 foot snowdrifts to form. It shut down much of the Midwest, from Minnesota down to Chicago. In Milwaukee, streetcars were stranded and cars were snowed-in where they sat. There were 13 deaths attributed to this storm.
4. November 1943
Weather.gov
Many of the biggest storms seem to only hit a portion of the state, but the coverage of this giant storm was statewide. The heavy snow was accompanied by ice, making travel treacherous. There were "only" 10 to 18 inches of snow, but combined with the ice, it was difficult to clean up. Roads were subsequently blocked for several days.
5. January 1947
Weather.gov
This was said to be the longest-lasting blizzard on record in southern Wisconsin! There were 18-27 inches of snow across the state and strong northwesterly winds created 10 to 15 foot snowdrifts.
6. November 1975
Weather.gov
The northern half of the state was hit with a storm that brought 10 to 14 inches of snow, which wasn't necessarily abnormal for this part of the state - but it was accompanied by hurricane-force winds along Lake Superior that created an absolute whiteout. This early winter storm is the one that caused the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald.

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7. March 1976
Ellen MacDonald/Flickr
This late-winter storm was one of the worst natural disasters in our state's history. A huge ice storm snapped utility poles like toothpicks; the ice was up to five inches thick on wires and trees in many places. This storm was a strange hybrid of spring thunderstorm and winter blizzard where the ice just kept building up and the 60 mph winds definitely didn't help. Some rural parts of the state ended up being without power for up to ten days, and 21 counties were declared federal disaster zones.
8. March 1997
clappstar/Flickr
West-central and northeast Wisconsin was hit with a large, late winter storm that helped set new state records for snowfall this year. Some places saw a foot of snow, but Wautoma got hit with more than 28 inches of snow! That year, Hurley set a record for most snowfall in a season, collecting nearly 278 inches of snow over the course of the winter.
9. January 1999
Joe Flood/NOAA Weather Library/Wikimedia
Some spots only received a few inches (and they got off easy), but the totals of this blizzard reached up to 20 inches of snow in some areas. Drifts were in excess of four to eight feet thanks to winds of 35+ mph inland and gusts near 60 mph on Lake Michigan. With temperatures down to around 15 degrees, it was a dangerous and difficult situation.
10. February 2007
McBeth/Flickr
This was a double-whammy, with two different storms hitting over the course of 72 hours. La Crosse saw as much as 15 inches from the first storm, and then an additional 12 more inches from the second storm. The storms cut straight across the central part of the state, with Green Bay and parts of Door County seeing the same two-foot totals that La Crosse did.
11. February 2008
Steve Johnson/Flickr
This storm will be remembered for the massive interstate backups that occurred. Snow accumulating was between 10 and 21 inches, but a jackknifed semi-trailer on Hwy 39/90 in Dane County caused backups up and down the system for nearly an entire day. Reports say more than 1000 semi trucks and nearly 500 non-commercial vehicles were stuck for anywhere from 10 to 20 hours as folks were stuck in their vehicles overnight. Wind gusts of 40-50 mph did not help the situation. This storm helped Madison set their record snowfall of 101.4 inches for the 2007-2008 season.
12. March 2011
Timo Newton-Syms/Flickr
This late season storm was the result of two pressure areas colliding over Wisconsin. The central part of the state was nailed with 12-18 inches of snow, plus ice and sleet. An Eau Claire broadcast tower was felled by the icy storm. In Green Bay the storm accumulated 17.8 inches of snow over the course of its life, making it the biggest storm to hit the region in more than 100 years. It was the first time Green Bay had seen accumulations of more than 10 inches three different times in the same season.

Do you remember any of these storms? Is there a big storm that you remember that didn’t make the list? Let us know in the comments! Want to read more about that 1976 ice storm? Check out A Massive Storm Blanketed Wisconsin In Ice In 1976 And It Will Never Be Forgotten.

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Winter Storms in Wisconsin

Tori Jane | October 13, 2021

What is winter in Wisconsin like?  

Wisconsin is one of those states where you tolerate the brutal winters just to get to the nice, pleasant rest of the year. In fact, Wisconsin is ranked at the eighth-coldest state in the country! From December to about February, temperatures just don’t tend to get above freezing, even during the day. On winter nights, temperatures typically dip below freezing. Oh, and then there’s the whole “snow” thing. The southernmost area of the state tends to receive, on average, about 40 inches of snow per year, while the northernmost reaches get plenty more, totaling on average about 160 inches, especially during winters where lake-effect snow comes into play. Typically, winter in Wisconsin is freezing, windy, and pretty unpleasant – unless you’re like us, and you really, really love you a good winter. Interested in some of the best Wisconsin has to offer during its freezing cold winters? Take a look at this list of awesome places in Wisconsin you’ve got to see during winter.  

What kind of natural disasters occur in Wisconsin? 

Wisconsin is not a “disaster-prone” state by any means, though unfortunately, it does get some from time to time. The most common disaster in Wisconsin tends to be heavy snow, ice, and blizzard conditions. Other types of natural disasters here tend to be severe storms with large hail (and occasionally tornadoes), floods, and landslides. From 1953 to 2019, Wisconsin declared 50 large/major disasters, during which time the two most common were floods and severe storms. The southern part of the state is more prone to tornadoes and severe storms than the northern part is, and the northern part is much more prone to freezing, ice storms, and blizzard conditions. Overall, Wisconsin is not an unsafe place to live, per se, though some disaster preparedness can certainly go a long way! It’s best to be prepared for a disaster and never experience it than to be blindsided by it while utterly unready. Stay weather aware and your time spent in Wisconsin should be perfectly pleasant.  

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