Alert archive / Wisconsin / Winter Storm Warnings in 2015

Winter Storm Warning 5, NWS Twin Cities, MN

December 23, 2015Barron County, Polk County, Saint Croix County, Wisconsin

NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this winter storm warning at Dec 23, 2015, 1:30 PM CST for Barron County, Polk County, Saint Croix County, Wisconsin. It was in force for 6 hr. 2 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Dec 23, 2015, 1:30 PM CST (19:30 UTC)
Expired
Dec 23, 2015, 7:49 PM CST
In force
6 hr
Issued by
NWS Twin Cities, MN

Counties Barron County, WI, Polk County, WI, Saint Croix County, WI

The radar

The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 115 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:34 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Dec 23, 1:45 PM CSTSNOW 1Ese Haugen, WI
Dec 23, 2:10 PM CSTSNOW 2Rice Lake, WI

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 12:00Z, 7.5 hours before the alert went out and 118 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Minneapolis, MN at 12:00Z on 2015-12-23Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Minneapolis, MN at 12:00Z on 2015-12-23The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 49 square meters per square second.1939587897117Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
533 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
36 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
49 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
56 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

916 
WWUS43 KMPX 231930
WSWMPX

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
130 PM CST WED DEC 23 2015

...LOCALLY SIX INCHES OF SNOW IN WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN...

.A WINTER STORM WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED THROUGH MIDNIGHT FOR
PORTIONS OF WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN...INCLUDING THE CITIES OF NEW
RICHMOND...BALSAM LAKE AND CUMBERLAND. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY
HAS BEEN EXPANDED TO THE SOUTH AND WEST AND INCLUDES FOREST
LAKE...STILLWATER...LAKEVILLE AND FARIBAULT THROUGH MIDNIGHT.

HEAVIER BANDS OF SNOW ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP AND EXPAND ACROSS
FAR EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA AND INTO WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN THIS
AFTERNOON...BEFORE DIMINISHING THIS EVENING. LOCALLY SIX INCHES OF
SNOW WILL FALL IN THE WARNED AREA...WITH THREE TO FIVE INCHES IN
THE ADVISORY AREA. OUTSIDE THE ADVISORY AREA...LOCALLY ONE TO
THREE INCHES WILL FALL. EXPECT A MESSY AFTERNOON COMMUTE...ESPECIALLY
FOR THE EASTERN METRO AREA DUE TO THE HEAVIER SNOWFALL EXPECTED.

WIZ014-015-023-240330-
/O.UPG.KMPX.WW.Y.0019.000000T0000Z-151224T0600Z/
/O.NEW.KMPX.WS.W.0005.151223T1930Z-151224T0600Z/
POLK-BARRON-ST. CROIX-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...OSCEOLA...RICE LAKE...HUDSON
130 PM CST WED DEC 23 2015

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN HAS ISSUED
A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR SNOW...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL
MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT. THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS NO LONGER IN
EFFECT.

* EXPECT SNOW TO CONTINUE...POSSIBLY HEAVY AT TIMES THIS
  AFTERNOON...AND DIMINISHING THIS EVENING. 

* THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL RATES WILL OCCUR UNTIL 6 PM THIS 
  EVENING. 

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 4 TO 6 INCHES...WITH LOCALLY HIGHER
  AMOUNTS POSSIBLE. 

* LOOK FOR SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS IN VISIBILITY AT TIMES. 

* PLAN ON SNOW COVERED ROADS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR SNOW MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER
CONDITIONS ARE OCCURRING. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL...KEEP AN EXTRA
FLASHLIGHT...FOOD...AND WATER IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN
EMERGENCY. THE LATEST ROAD CONDITIONS FOR THE STATE YOU ARE
CALLING FROM CAN BE OBTAINED BY CALLING 5 1 1.

$$

MNZ053-062-063-070-077-078-WIZ016-024-025-240330-
/O.NEW.KMPX.WW.Y.0020.151223T1930Z-151224T0600Z/
CHISAGO-RAMSEY-WASHINGTON-DAKOTA-RICE-GOODHUE-RUSK-PIERCE-DUNN-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...CENTER CITY...ST. PAUL...STILLWATER...
HASTINGS...FARIBAULT...RED WING...LADYSMITH...PRESCOTT...
MENOMONIE
130 PM CST WED DEC 23 2015

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN HAS ISSUED
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL
MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT.

* EXPECT SNOW TO CONTINUE...POSSIBLY HEAVY THIS AFTERNOON...BEFORE
  DIMINISHING THIS EVENING. 

* THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL RATES WILL OCCUR UNTIL 6 PM THIS 
  EVENING. 

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES ARE EXPECTED.

* LOOK FOR REDUCED VISIBILITIES AT TIMES. 

* PLAN ON SLIPPERY ROAD CONDITIONS...INCLUDING DURING THE 
  EVENING COMMUTE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW MEANS PERIODS OF SNOW WILL
CAUSE PRIMARILY TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SNOW COVERED
ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES...AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.
THE LATEST ROAD CONDITIONS FOR THE STATE YOU ARE CALLING FROM CAN
BE OBTAINED BY CALLING 5 1 1.

$$

JLT
2 follow-up statements
733 
WWUS43 KMPX 232122
WSWMPX

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
322 PM CST WED DEC 23 2015

...LOCALLY SIX INCHES OF SNOW IN WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN...

.A WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH MIDNIGHT FOR
PORTIONS OF WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN...INCLUDING THE CITIES OF NEW
RICHMOND...BALSAM LAKE AND CUMBERLAND. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY
HAS BEEN EXPANDED TO THE SOUTH AND WEST AND INCLUDES FOREST
LAKE...STILLWATER...LAKEVILLE...FARIBAULT...OWATONNA AND ALBERT
LEA THROUGH MIDNIGHT.

HEAVIER BANDS OF SNOW ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP AND EXPAND ACROSS
FAR EAST CENTRAL...SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA...AND INTO WEST
CENTRAL WISCONSIN THROUGH THE EARLY EVENING...BEFORE DIMINISHING
AFTER 8 PM. LOCALLY SIX INCHES OF SNOW WILL FALL IN THE WARNED
AREA...WITH THREE TO FIVE INCHES IN THE ADVISORY AREA. OUTSIDE THE
ADVISORY AREA...LOCALLY ONE TO THREE INCHES WILL FALL. EXPECT A
MESSY AFTERNOON COMMUTE... ESPECIALLY FOR THE EASTERN METRO AREA
DUE TO THE HEAVIER SNOWFALL EXPECTED.

WIZ014-015-023-240530-
/O.CON.KMPX.WS.W.0005.000000T0000Z-151224T0600Z/
POLK-BARRON-ST. CROIX-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...OSCEOLA...RICE LAKE...HUDSON
322 PM CST WED DEC 23 2015

...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST
TONIGHT...

A WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST
TONIGHT. 

* EXPECT SNOW TO CONTINUE...DIMINISHING AROUND MIDNIGHT. 

* THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL RATES WILL OCCUR UNTIL 8 PM THIS EVENING.

* ADDITIONAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES ARE
  EXPECTED...WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS. TOTAL SNOWFALL WILL
  AVERAGE BETWEEN 5 AND 8 INCHES. 

* LOOK FOR SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS IN VISIBILITY AT TIMES. 

* PLAN ON SLIPPERY ROAD CONDITIONS...INCLUDING DURING THE 
  EVENING COMMUTE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR SNOW MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER
CONDITIONS ARE OCCURRING. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL...KEEP AN EXTRA
FLASHLIGHT...FOOD...AND WATER IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN
EMERGENCY. THE LATEST ROAD CONDITIONS FOR THE STATE YOU ARE
CALLING FROM CAN BE OBTAINED BY CALLING 5 1 1.

$$

MNZ085-093-WIZ026-240530-
/O.EXA.KMPX.WW.Y.0020.000000T0000Z-151224T0600Z/
STEELE-FREEBORN-PEPIN-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...OWATONNA...ALBERT LEA...DURAND
322 PM CST WED DEC 23 2015

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN HAS ISSUED
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL
MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT.

* EXPECT SNOW TO CONTINUE...DIMINISHING AROUND MIDNIGHT. 

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF UP TO 4 INCHES ARE EXPECTED.

* LOOK FOR REDUCED VISIBILITIES AT TIMES. 

* PLAN ON SLIPPERY ROAD CONDITIONS...INCLUDING DURING THE 
  EVENING COMMUTE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW MEANS PERIODS OF SNOW WILL
CAUSE PRIMARILY TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SNOW COVERED
ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES...AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.
THE LATEST ROAD CONDITIONS FOR THE STATE YOU ARE CALLING FROM CAN
BE OBTAINED BY CALLING 5 1 1.

$$

MNZ053-062-063-070-077-078-WIZ016-024-025-240530-
/O.CON.KMPX.WW.Y.0020.000000T0000Z-151224T0600Z/
CHISAGO-RAMSEY-WASHINGTON-DAKOTA-RICE-GOODHUE-RUSK-PIERCE-DUNN-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...CENTER CITY...ST. PAUL...STILLWATER...
HASTINGS...FARIBAULT...RED WING...LADYSMITH...PRESCOTT...
MENOMONIE
322 PM CST WED DEC 23 2015

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST
TONIGHT...

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST
TONIGHT. 

* EXPECT SNOW TO CONTINUE...DIMINISHING AFTER 8 PM. 

* THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL RATES WILL OCCUR UNTIL 7 PM THIS EVENING.

* ADDITIONAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES ARE EXPECTED. 

* LOOK FOR REDUCED VISIBILITIES AT TIMES. 

* PLAN ON SLIPPERY ROAD CONDITIONS...INCLUDING DURING THE 
  EVENING COMMUTE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW MEANS PERIODS OF SNOW WILL
CAUSE PRIMARILY TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SNOW COVERED
ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES...AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.
THE LATEST ROAD CONDITIONS FOR THE STATE YOU ARE CALLING FROM CAN
BE OBTAINED BY CALLING 5 1 1.

$$

JLT
096 
WWUS43 KMPX 240149
WSWMPX

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
749 PM CST WED DEC 23 2015

...LIGHT SNOW CONTINUING IN WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN...

.A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR FAR EASTERN
MINNESOTA AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN DUE TO FALLING SNOW AND SNOW
COVERED ROADS. 1 TO 4 INCHES IS LIKELY ACROSS MUCH OF THE ADVISORY
AREA.

WIZ014-015-023-240600-
/O.CAN.KMPX.WS.W.0005.000000T0000Z-151224T0600Z/
/O.EXA.KMPX.WW.Y.0020.000000T0000Z-151224T0600Z/
POLK-BARRON-ST. CROIX-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...OSCEOLA...RICE LAKE...HUDSON
749 PM CST WED DEC 23 2015

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT...
...WINTER STORM WARNING IS CANCELLED...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN HAS ISSUED
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR FOR SNOW...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL
MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT. THE WINTER STORM WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

* EXPECT SNOW TO CONTINUE...DIMINISHING BEFORE MIDNIGHT.

* SNOW ACCUMULATION OF 1 TO 4 INCHES IS EXPECTED.

* LOOK FOR REDUCED VISIBILITIES AT TIMES.

* PLAN ON SLIPPERY ROAD CONDITIONS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW MEANS PERIODS OF SNOW WILL
CAUSE PRIMARILY TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SNOW COVERED
ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES...AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.
THE LATEST ROAD CONDITIONS FOR THE STATE YOU ARE CALLING FROM CAN
BE OBTAINED BY CALLING 5 1 1.

&&

$$

MNZ053-062-063-070-077-085-093-240300-
/O.CAN.KMPX.WW.Y.0020.000000T0000Z-151224T0600Z/
CHISAGO-RAMSEY-WASHINGTON-DAKOTA-RICE-STEELE-FREEBORN-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...CENTER CITY...ST. PAUL...STILLWATER...
HASTINGS...FARIBAULT...OWATONNA...ALBERT LEA
749 PM CST WED DEC 23 2015

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS CANCELLED...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN HAS
CANCELLED THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY. 

SLIPPERY ROADS REMAIN POSSIBLE TONIGHT BUT THE SNOW HAS ENDED AND
ADDITIONAL IMPACTS ARE NOT EXPECTED. MOTORISTS ARE ADVISED TO SLOW
DOWN AND DRIVE WITH CAUTION TONIGHT.

$$

MNZ078-WIZ016-024>026-240600-
/O.CON.KMPX.WW.Y.0020.000000T0000Z-151224T0600Z/
GOODHUE-RUSK-PIERCE-DUNN-PEPIN-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...RED WING...LADYSMITH...PRESCOTT...
MENOMONIE...DURAND
749 PM CST WED DEC 23 2015

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST
TONIGHT...

* EXPECT SNOW TO CONTINUE...DIMINISHING BEFORE MIDNIGHT.

* SNOW ACCUMULATION OF 1 TO 4 INCHES IS EXPECTED.

* LOOK FOR REDUCED VISIBILITIES AT TIMES.

* PLAN ON SLIPPERY ROAD CONDITIONS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW MEANS PERIODS OF SNOW WILL
CAUSE PRIMARILY TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SNOW COVERED
ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES...AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.
THE LATEST ROAD CONDITIONS FOR THE STATE YOU ARE CALLING FROM CAN
BE OBTAINED BY CALLING 5 1 1.

$$

The office that day

Everything else NWS Twin Cities, MN issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Dec 23, 3:22 AM CSTWinter Weather AdvisoryMPXBarron, Polk, Saint Croix10 hr
Dec 23, 1:30 PM CSTWinter Weather AdvisoryMPXBarron, Dunn, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Rusk and 1 more9 hr

Nearby

Winter Storm Warnings in Wisconsin, 2015Every winter storm warning in 2015

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.