Winter Storm in Wisconsin, April 11 to 12, 1997

Name: Winter Storm in Wisconsin, April 11 to 12, 1997
Start: 1997-04-11T16:00
End: 1997-04-12T16:00
Location: Wisconsin

April 11 to 12, 1997 · NWS MKX · 9 events in 9 counties and zones

). The storm consisted of two round of snow, with a break during the 0400 to 0800 CST timeframe.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 9 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 9

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS MKX wrote it up.

A spring winter storm deposited heavy, wet snow in a narrow region from around Janesville (Rock co.) northeast to near Fond du Lac (Fond du Lac co.). The storm consisted of two round of snow, with a break during the 0400 to 0800 CST timeframe. Some of the snow melted as it fell. Southeast winds gusting to around 30 mph helped lower visibilities to below 100 yards in open areas around midday on the 12th... resulting in numerous vehicle accidents. Thunder was also reported at several locations, with the convective snow resulting in snowfall rates of 2 inches per hour at the height of the storm. Maximum storm accumulations reached 16.5 inches at Juneau (Dodge co.), 12 inches in Lake Mills and Ft. Atkinson (Jefferson co.), 11 inches in Milton (Rock co.), 10 to 11 inches in extreme eastern Dane county, and 8 to 9 inches in extreme southern Fond du Lac county, northwest Washington county, northwest Waukesha county, northwest Walworth county, and southeast Columbia county.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

9 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Fond du Lac

When: April 11, 4:00 PM CST to April 12, 4:00 PM CST
Where: Fond du Lac forecast zone
Coordinates: 43.754, -88.488 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Columbia

When: April 11, 4:00 PM CST to April 12, 4:00 PM CST
Where: Columbia forecast zone
Coordinates: 43.467, -89.334 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Dodge

When: April 11, 4:00 PM CST to April 12, 4:00 PM CST
Where: Dodge forecast zone
Coordinates: 43.416, -88.707 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Washington

When: April 11, 4:00 PM CST to April 12, 4:00 PM CST
Where: Washington forecast zone
Coordinates: 43.369, -88.231 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Dane

When: April 11, 4:00 PM CST to April 12, 4:00 PM CST
Where: Dane forecast zone
Coordinates: 43.067, -89.418 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Jefferson

When: April 11, 4:00 PM CST to April 12, 4:00 PM CST
Where: Jefferson forecast zone
Coordinates: 43.021, -88.776 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Waukesha

When: April 11, 4:00 PM CST to April 12, 4:00 PM CST
Where: Waukesha forecast zone
Coordinates: 43.018, -88.304 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Rock

When: April 11, 4:00 PM CST to April 12, 4:00 PM CST
Where: Rock forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.671, -89.072 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Walworth

When: April 11, 4:00 PM CST to April 12, 4:00 PM CST
Where: Walworth forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.669, -88.542 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Winter Storm: A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Wisconsin in 1997 Every state in 1997 This day in weather history Warnings in Wisconsin, April 1997

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5591710, 5591711, 5591712, 5591713, 5591714, 5591715, 5591716, 5591717, 5591718.