Heavy Snow, Douglas
- When
- March 12, 9:30 PM CST to March 13, 11:00 PM CST
- Where
- Douglas forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 46.464, -91.899 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow in Wisconsin, March 12 to 14, 2006
A strong storm produced snowfall amounts ranging from 10 to 32 inches over most of northwestern Wisconsin. A snowfall band of over 20 inches stretched from southern Washburn County at Sarona through Sawyer and Ashland counties to Hurley in Iron County.
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
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 storm produced snowfall amounts ranging from 10 to 32 inches over most of northwestern Wisconsin. A snowfall band of over 20 inches stretched from southern Washburn County at Sarona through Sawyer and Ashland counties to Hurley in Iron County. In addition to the synoptic snow, Lake Superior added an extra punch, resulting in a bullseye of 25 to 32 inches along the south shore in Ashland and Iron Counties, from Mellen to Hurley.In addition to the heavy, wet snow, winds gusting to 30 mph created considerable blowing and drifting. Sheriff departments across the region closed roads and advised against travel until roads could be cleared. At times plows were pulled from duty due to low visibility. Schools were closed in many northwest Wisconsin communities on the 13th and 14th. Locals say it was the worst storm in 20 years.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
8 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy Snow, Burnett
- When
- March 12, 10:00 PM CST to March 13, 11:00 PM CST
- Where
- Burnett forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 45.863, -92.368 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Sawyer
- When
- March 12, 10:00 PM CST to March 13, 11:00 PM CST
- Where
- Sawyer forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 45.880, -91.145 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Washburn
- When
- March 12, 10:00 PM CST to March 13, 11:00 PM CST
- Where
- Washburn forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 45.899, -91.791 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Price
- When
- March 12, 10:00 PM CST to March 13, 11:00 PM CST
- Where
- Price forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 45.680, -90.361 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Bayfield
- When
- March 12, 10:30 PM CST to March 13, 11:00 PM CST
- Where
- Bayfield forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 46.635, -91.181 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Ashland
- When
- March 12, 10:30 PM CST to March 14, 5:30 AM CST
- Where
- Ashland forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 46.510, -90.720 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Iron
- When
- March 12, 10:30 PM CST to March 14, 5:30 AM CST
- Where
- Iron forecast zone
- Reported by
- UTILITY COMPANY
- Coordinates
- 46.317, -90.264 (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
- Wildfire in Texas, March 12 to 18, 2006
- Tornadoes in Missouri, March 12, 2006
- Tornado in Missouri, March 12, 2006
- Tornadoes and Hail in Arkansas, March 12 to 13, 2006
- Tornado in Missouri, March 12, 2006
- Tornadoes and Hail in Missouri, March 12, 2006
- Tornadoes and Hail in Oklahoma, March 12 to 13, 2006
- Tornadoes and Hail in Missouri, March 12, 2006
- Tornado in Missouri, March 12, 2006
- Tornadoes in Missouri, March 12, 2006
- Tornadoes and Hail in Missouri, March 12, 2006
- Tornado in Missouri, March 12, 2006
More
Every storm in Wisconsin in 2006Every state in 2006This day in weather historyWarnings in Wisconsin, March 2006
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: 5498214, 5498215, 5498216, 5498217, 5498218, 5498219, 5498294, 5498295.