Wisconsin, 1997

Heavy Snow in Wisconsin, March 13 to 14, 1997

March 13 to 14, 1997 · NWS MKX · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

Another round of heavy snow affected parts of southcentral and eastcentral Wisconsin on the heals of a round of heavy snow during the previous 12 hour period. This second round was triggered by a low pressure system moving northeast through Illinois and Indiana.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 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
3

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.

Another round of heavy snow affected parts of southcentral and eastcentral Wisconsin on the heals of a round of heavy snow during the previous 12 hour period. This second round was triggered by a low pressure system moving northeast through Illinois and Indiana. Thundersnow was observed in many locations. Maximum additional snowfalls reached 20 inches in extreme northern Marquette county, 18 inches in extreme northwest Green Lake county, 9 inches in extreme northwest Fond du Lac county, and 3 to 6 inches over Sauk, Columbia, Dodge, and Sheboygan counties. Consequently, the 36-hour snowfall totals reached 26 inches in northern Marquette county, 21 inches in extreme northwest Green Lake county, 15 inches in extreme northcentral Columbia county and extreme northwest Sauk county, and 14 inches in extreme northwest Fond du Lac county. These totals were new 24 hour March records, or new March storm records for some sites. Needless to say, there were numerous vehicle accidents, and several indirectly-related injuries.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Marquette

When
March 13, 9:00 AM CST to March 14, 9:00 AM CST
Where
Marquette forecast zone
Coordinates
43.820, -89.399 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Green Lake

When
March 13, 9:00 AM CST to March 14, 9:00 AM CST
Where
Green Lake forecast zone
Coordinates
43.800, -89.045 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Fond du Lac

When
March 13, 9:00 AM CST to March 14, 9:00 AM CST
Where
Fond du Lac forecast zone
Coordinates
43.754, -88.488 (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

More

Every storm in Wisconsin in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Wisconsin, March 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: 5594011, 5594012, 5594013.