Winter Storm in Wisconsin, February 1 to 2, 2004

Name: Winter Storm in Wisconsin, February 1 to 2, 2004
Start: 2004-02-01T02:00
End: 2004-02-02T18:00
Location: Wisconsin

February 1 to 2, 2004 · NWS MPX · 9 events in 9 counties and zones

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 MPX wrote it up.

Low pressure over Nebraska moved across central Wisconsin during the morning of the 1st bringing a few inches of snowfall accumulation. A second, more powerful storm tracked from Missouri into Illinois early on the 2nd. The second storm dropped moderate to heavy snow across west central Wisconsin between the evening of the 1st and the evening of the 2nd. Snowfall totals from both storms ranged from 9 to 13 inches, with the highest amounts falling in Barron and Rusk counties. Behind the second system, temperatures plummeted into the single digits and teens below zero. Wind chills dropped into the 30s below zero on the morning of the 3rd.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Twin Cities, MN wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 31, 8:36 PM CST, 5 hours 24 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 31, 8:36 PM CST, 5 hours 24 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
830 PM CST SAT JAN 31 2004

.DISCUSSION...
BAND OF SNOW DEVELOPING FAIRLY RAPIDLY ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL MN..AND
NARROW BAND OF STRONG RETURNS EXTENDING BACK INTO SE SD SW OF KFSD.
LOOKING LIKE FRONTOGENETICAL FORCING..BUT 00Z RUC WANTING TO PLACE
THIS BAND FARTHER NW THAN WHAT SEEMS TO BE OCCURRING. 00Z ETA
LOOKING A LITTLE BETTER BUT SHOWING 2 AREAS. ONE ON WEST FRINGE OF
CWA SEEMS TO BE OUT OF BEST ISENTROPIC LIFT. OTHER BAND TO THE SOUTH
MATCHES SNOW BAND BETTER. THIS ALSO CLOSE TO FAVORABLE TEMPS FOR ICE
CRYSTAL GROWTH. CURRENT ADVSY LOOKS GOOD. WILL NEED TO WATCH THE
SNOW BAND TO THE SW OF FSD CLOSELY.

&&

.MPX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MN...WINTER STORM WATCH FOR SUNDAY NIGHT THRU MONDAY NIGHT
     MNZ053-060>063-068>070-076>078-083>085-092-093
     WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM MIDNIGHT THRU SUNDAY
     MNZ045-051-052-058-059-065>067-073>075-082-091
     MNZ053-060>063-068>070-076>078-083>085-092-093
WI...WINTER STORM WATCH FOR SUNDAY NIGHT THRU MONDAY NIGHT
     WIZ014>016-023>028
     WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM MIDNIGHT THRU SUNDAY
     WIZ014>016-023>028
&&

JPR

Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 31, 4:05 PM CST, 9 hours 55 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
405 PM CST SAT JAN 31 2004

MNZ041>044-047>050-054>057-064-011200-
BENTON-CHIPPEWA-DOUGLAS-KANDIYOHI-LAC QUI PARLE-MILLE LACS-MORRISON-
POPE-STEARNS-STEVENS-SWIFT-TODD-YELLOW MEDICINE-
405 PM CST SAT JAN 31 2004

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WEST CENTRAL AND PORTIONS OF
CENTRAL MINNESOTA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED TODAY OR TONIGHT.

MNZ045-051-052-058-059-065>067-073>075-082-091-011200-
BROWN-ISANTI-KANABEC-MARTIN-MCLEOD-MEEKER-NICOLLET-REDWOOD-RENVILLE-
SHERBURNE-SIBLEY-WATONWAN-WRIGHT-
405 PM CST SAT JAN 31 2004

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL MINNESOTA
AND PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

ACCUMULATING SNOW WILL SPREAD ACROSS THE AREA AFTER MIDNIGHT TONIGHT
AS AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE APPROACHES FROM THE CENTRAL PLAINS. ONE TO
TWO INCHES OF ACCUMULATION IS POSSIBLE BY DAYBREAK SUNDAY MORNING. A
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT AFTER MIDNIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

SNOW WILL PERSIST ACROSS THE AREA ON SUNDAY AS A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM
INTENSIFIES OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS STATES. THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL CAN
BE EXPECTED DURING THE MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON. ADDITIONAL
ACCUMULATIONS OF ONE TO THREE INCHES WILL RESULT IN TOTAL
ACCUMULATIONS FROM TWO TO FIVE INCHES. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY
REMAINS IN EFFECT SUNDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED TODAY OR TONIGHT.

MNZ053-060>063-068>070-076>078-083>085-092-093-WIZ014>016-023>028-
011200-
ANOKA-BARRON-BLUE EARTH-CARVER-CHIPPEWA-CHISAGO-DAKOTA-DUNN-
EAU CLAIRE-FARIBAULT-FREEBORN-GOODHUE-HENNEPIN-LE SUEUR-PEPIN-PIERCE-
POLK-RAMSEY-RICE-RUSK-SCOTT-ST CROIX-STEELE-WASECA-WASHINGTON-
405 PM CST SAT JAN 31 2004

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY
AND WINTER STORM WATCH SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA AND
PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

SNOW WILL SPREAD BACK ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT. ACCUMULATING SNOW CAN
BE ANTICIPATED AFTER MIDNIGHT TONIGHT AS AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE
APPROACHES FROM THE CENTRAL PLAINS. ONE TO TWO INCHES OF ACCUMULATION
IS POSSIBLE BY DAYBREAK SUNDAY MORNING. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS
IN EFFECT AFTER MIDNIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

SNOW WILL PERSIST ACROSS THE AREA ON SUNDAY AS A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM
INTENSIFIES OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS STATES. THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL CAN
BE EXPECTED FROM MID MORNING THROUGH MID AFTERNOON. ADDITIONAL
ACCUMULATIONS OF ONE TO THREE INCHES WILL RESULT IN TOTAL
ACCUMULATIONS FROM TWO TO FIVE INCHES. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY
REMAINS IN EFFECT SUNDAY.

A STRONGER LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL TAKE SHAPE OVER THE CENTRAL
PLAINS SUNDAY NIGHT AND MOVE SLOWLY NORTHEAST TO ILLINOIS BY LATE
MONDAY. THIS FEATURE MAY BRING HEAVY SNOW TO PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL
AND SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN FROM SUNDAY
NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT. EARLY INDICATIONS SUGGEST THAT 8 OR MORE
INCHES OF SNOW IS POSSIBLE. A WINTER STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT SUNDAY
NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT EAST OF A LINE FROM NORTH BRANCH TO
WACONIA TO ST PETER TO BLUE EARTH. THIS WATCH INCLUDES THE TWIN
CITIES METROPOLITAN AREA AS WELL AS ALBERT LEA...FARIBAULT...RED
WING...RICE LAKE...EAU CLAIRE AND LADYSMITH.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED TODAY OR TONIGHT.

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, St. Croix

When: February 1, 2:00 AM CST to February 2, 6:00 PM CST
Where: St. Croix forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 45.034, -92.453 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Dunn

When: February 1, 2:00 AM CST to February 2, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Dunn forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 44.947, -91.896 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Chippewa

When: February 1, 2:00 AM CST to February 2, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Chippewa forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 45.069, -91.280 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Pierce

When: February 1, 2:00 AM CST to February 2, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Pierce forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 44.720, -92.422 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Pepin

When: February 1, 2:00 AM CST to February 2, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Pepin forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 44.483, -92.150 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Eau Claire

When: February 1, 2:00 AM CST to February 2, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Eau Claire forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 44.727, -91.286 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Polk

When: February 1, 2:00 AM CST to February 2, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Polk forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 45.461, -92.441 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Barron

When: February 1, 2:00 AM CST to February 2, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Barron forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 45.424, -91.848 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Rusk

When: February 1, 2:00 AM CST to February 2, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Rusk forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 45.475, -91.133 (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 2004 Every state in 2004 This day in weather history Warnings in Wisconsin, February 2004

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: 5385736, 5385737, 5385738, 5385739, 5385740, 5385741, 5385742, 5385743, 5385744.