Heavy Snow in Wisconsin, January 4 to 5, 1997

Name: Heavy Snow in Wisconsin, January 4 to 5, 1997
Start: 1997-01-04T04:00
End: 1997-01-05T04:00
Location: Wisconsin

January 4 to 5, 1997 · NWS DLH · 8 events in 8 counties and zones

A strong winter storm moved across southern Wisconsin to northern Lake Michigan producing sleet and freezing rain followed by heavy snow across northern Wisconsin. Several roads were closed.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 8 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

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 8

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 DLH wrote it up.

A strong winter storm moved across southern Wisconsin to northern Lake Michigan producing sleet and freezing rain followed by heavy snow across northern Wisconsin. Several roads were closed. Snow amounts ranged from about half a foot in the Phillips area to over 2.5 feet on the Bayfield Peninsula. Some specific totals were 33 inches in Cornucopia, 22 at Superior, 17 in Ashland, 13 in Hurley, and 12 in Bayfield.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

8 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Douglas

When: January 4, 4:00 AM CST to January 5, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Douglas forecast zone
Coordinates: 46.464, -91.899 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Bayfield

When: January 4, 4:00 AM CST to January 5, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Bayfield forecast zone
Coordinates: 46.635, -91.181 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Ashland

When: January 4, 4:00 AM CST to January 5, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Ashland forecast zone
Coordinates: 46.510, -90.720 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Iron

When: January 4, 4:00 AM CST to January 5, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Iron forecast zone
Coordinates: 46.317, -90.264 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Burnett

When: January 4, 4:00 AM CST to January 5, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Burnett forecast zone
Coordinates: 45.863, -92.368 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Washburn

When: January 4, 4:00 AM CST to January 5, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Washburn forecast zone
Coordinates: 45.899, -91.791 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Sawyer

When: January 4, 4:00 AM CST to January 5, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Sawyer forecast zone
Coordinates: 45.880, -91.145 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Price

When: January 4, 4:00 AM CST to January 5, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Price forecast zone
Coordinates: 45.680, -90.361 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Heavy Snow: Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.

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, January 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5600050, 5600051, 5600052, 5600053, 5600054, 5600055, 5600056, 5600057.