Winter Storm in Wisconsin, February 1 to 2, 2011

Name: Winter Storm in Wisconsin, February 1 to 2, 2011
Start: 2011-02-01T21:00
End: 2011-02-02T03:00
Location: Wisconsin

February 1 to 2, 2011 · NWS MKX · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

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

Open the live radar over this ground

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.

A powerful low pressure center, passing south of Wisconsin, produced near blizzard conditions across portions of South Central Wisconsin from the evening hours of Tuesday, February 1st into the early morning of Wednesday, February 2nd. Snow associated with the system began in the mid-afternoon hours of February 1st in far southern Wisconsin and became heavy as it pushed northward into the state through the late afternoon and evening. Very strong winds were associated with this storm for an extended period of time. Sustained northeast winds of 25 to 30 mph were common through the event, with occasional gusts between 40 and 45 mph. The combination of gusty winds and heavy snow created widespread visibilities of a mile or less, with law enforcement reporting near-blizzard conditions at times. Twenty-four hour snowfall totals were between 4 and 8 inches, with 8 inches of snow measured by a cooperative observer 1 mile northeast of Baraboo (Sauk County); 5 inches at Markesan (Green Lake County) and 4.9 inches in Montello (Marquette County). In addition to the snow that fell during the blizzard, several inches of snow fell on Jan 31. It's possible that some locations did not see a break in snowfall between the evening of January 31st and the morning of February 2nd. Snow drifts of 1 to 3 feet were common.

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 Milwaukee, WI wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 1, 8:33 PM CST, 27 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 1, 8:33 PM CST, 27 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
833 PM CST TUE FEB 1 2011

.UPDATE...

IMPRESSIVE RISE/FALL COUPLET ON 3 HOUR PRESS CHANGE. 8 MB
PRESSURE FALLS CENTERED NEAR CHAMPAIGN ILLINOIS WITH 7 MB PRESSURE
RISE CENTER JUST WEST OF MEMPHIS. SURFACE LOW BETWEEN EVANSVILLE
INDIANA AND TERRE HAUTE INDIANA. THIS IS A FARTHER NORTH TRACK
THEN MOST OF THE PREVIOUS MODELS. NEW NAM CONFIRMS THIS WITH A
MORE NORTHERLY TRACK WHICH MOVES ACROSS CENTRAL INDIANA WITH A
ELONGATED LOW FROM NORTHEAST INDIANA ACROSS NORTHERN OHIO BY 6 AM
CST. THIS SHIFTS THE MAX PRECIP BAND FARTHER NORTH INTO SOUTHEAST
WISCONSIN. 1.5 INCH OF WATER EQUIVALENT FROM 00Z THROUGH END OF
THE STORM WEDNESDAY WITH 0.75 INCH WATER EQUIVALENT ACROSS
MADISON. THIS IS ON TOP OF ANY PRECIPITATION BEFORE 6 PM.

STILL STRONG 2D FRONTOGENISIS ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA AROUND 700
TO 600 MB MB...GRADUALLY LIFTING AND WEAKENING BY 6 AM CST.

CURRENT FORECAST...WHICH WAS BASED ON A MORE NORTHERLY TRACK LOOKS
GOOD. THE FINAL SNOW TOTALS WILL BE QUITE VARIABLE WITH THE
STRONG NORTHEAST WINDS...BLOWING/DRIFTING AND BLIZZARD CONDITIONS.
THEREFORE WILL KEEP THE SNOW TOTALS AS THEY ARE.

&&
06/HENTZ

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 252 PM CST TUE FEB 1 2011/

WEDNESDAY NIGHT...FORECAST CONFIDENCE IS HIGH.

SOME CLOUDS LINGER IN THE SOUTHEAST EARLY...OTHERWISE...CLASSIC
CLEAR AND COLD NIGHT IN POST SNOWSTORM ENVIRONMENT. COLD AIR IN
PLACE BY EVENING...BUT TEMPS ABOVE THE BOUNDRY LAYER TRY TO
REBOUND AFTER MIDNIGHT IN BACKING FLOW AHEAD OF NEXT APPROACHING
TROF FROM THE NDORTHWEST. HOWEVER...WITH FRESH SNOW COVER THIS
WARM AIR ADVECTION WILL RIDE OVER THE TOP OF A SHARP BOUNDRY LAYER
INVERSION. TEMPS GENERALLY 0 TO 10 BELOW WITH WIND CHILLS DIPPING
TO 20 TO 30 BELOW. A WIND CHILL ADVISORY WILL LIKELY BE ISSUED
LATER...JUST NOT NOW WITH ALL THE OTHER MAJOR HEADLINES IN EFFECT.

THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...FORECAST CONFIDENCE IS HIGH.

QUITE THIS PERIOD WITH TEMPS CONTINUING TO SLOWLY MODIFY AS WE GET
ATYPICAL WARM ADVECTION FROM THE NORTHWEST...COMING OUT OF
CANADA...AHEAD OF A DEEPING NORTHWEST TROF. THE COLUMN REMAINS
TOO DRY FOR ANY PRECIP WITH THE ADVECTION...AND IT ISN/T THAT
STRONG TO BEGIN WITH.

FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY...FORECAST CONFIDENCE IS MEDIUM.

UPPER LOW CONTINUES TO DIG INTO THE GREAT LAKES AND CLOSES OFF
FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY...BEFORE OPENING BACK UP AND SHEARING
OFF TO THE EAST BY SUNDAY MORNING. NOT AN IMPRESSIVE AMOUNT OF
MOISTURE WITH THIS SYSTEM...BUT ENOUGH TO HAVE SMALL POPS FOR
LIGHT SNOW AT THIS POINT.

SUNDAY...FORECAST CONFIDENCE IS MEDIUM.

QUIET AND SEASONABLE UNDER SHORT WAVE RIDGING.

EARLY NEXT WEEK...FORECAST CONFIDENCE IS MEDIUM.

ANOTHER CLIPPER ARRIVES AND COULD BRING SOME LIGHT SNOW TO THE
AREA. IN THE WAKE OF THIS FAST SYSTEM...TEMPS COLLAPSE AGAIN BY
TUESDAY MORNING WITH BITTER CONDITIONS FORECAST.

AVIATION...LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOW MOVES IN TO THE TAF SITES LATE THIS
AFTERNOON...BECOMING MODERATE TO HEAVY BY AROUND 00Z. EXPECT LONG
DURATION OF VLIFR VISBYS...FREQUENTLY TO 1/4 MILE...AS A RESULT OF
FALLING SNOW COMBINED WITH BLOWING SNOW. STRONG WINDS GRADUALLY
SHIFT FROM NORTHEAST THIS EVENING...TO NORTH BY MORNING. EXPECT
SUSTAINED WINDS 20 TO 30 KT...WITH GUSTS 35 TO 45 KT. THIS WILL
ALSO LEAD TO WIND SHEAR OF 20 TO 30 KT IN THE LOWEST 2KFT.

CONDITIONS BEGIN TO IMPROVE LATE MORNING AS THE SNOW DECREASES WEST
TO EAST. BLOWING SNOW CONTINUES THROUGH THE MORNING INTO THE EARLY
AFTERNOON WITH WINDS ABOVE 20KT. WINDS DECREASE INTO THE AFTERNOON
WITH IMPROVING GENERAL IMPROVING CONDITIONS.

&&

.MKX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WI...BLIZZARD WARNING UNTIL NOON CST WEDNESDAY FOR WIZ051-052-058>060-
     062>072.

     LAKESHORE FLOOD WARNING UNTIL 6 PM CST WEDNESDAY FOR WIZ066-071-
     072.

     LAKESHORE FLOOD ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM CST WEDNESDAY FOR WIZ052-060.

     WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL NOON CST WEDNESDAY FOR WIZ046-047-056-
     057.

LM...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING UNTIL 6 PM CST WEDNESDAY FOR
     LMZ643>646.

     STORM WARNING UNTIL 9 AM CST WEDNESDAY FOR LMZ643>646.

&&

TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY...COLLAR
AVIATION...ZABEL
BEYOND WEDNESDAY/MARINE...DAVIS

Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 1, 3:20 PM CST, 5 hours 40 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
320 PM CST TUE FEB 1 2011

WIZ046-047-051-052-056>060-062>072-021145-
MARQUETTE-GREEN LAKE-FOND DU LAC-SHEBOYGAN-SAUK-COLUMBIA-DODGE-
WASHINGTON-OZAUKEE-IOWA-DANE-JEFFERSON-WAUKESHA-MILWAUKEE-
LAFAYETTE-GREEN-ROCK-WALWORTH-RACINE-KENOSHA-
320 PM CST TUE FEB 1 2011

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

.DAY ONE...REST OF THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

A BLIZZARD WILL AFFECT SOUTHERN WISCONSIN WITH STRONG NORTHEAST
WINDS...HEAVY SNOW...AND SIGNIFICANT BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW.
WHITEOUT CONDITIONS AND WIND CHILL TEMPERATURES AROUND ZERO DEGREES
WILL MAKE FOR EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CONDITIONS FOR THOSE WHO MUST
TRAVEL OR VENTURE OUTDOORS.

A COASTAL FLOOD WARNING IS IN EFFECT TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY AS THE
LAKE RISES ABOUT 6 INCHES AND WAVES TO 14 FEET POUND THE SHORELINE.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY

THE BLIZZARD WARNING WILL END AT NOON ON WEDNESDAY AS THE SNOW
DIMINISHES...HOWEVER CONSIDERABLE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW WILL
CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE DAY.

VERY COLD TEMPERATURES AND BRISK WINDS WILL PRODUCE DANGEROUS WIND
CHILL TEMPERATURES OF 20 BELOW TO 30 BELOW ZERO LATE WEDNESDAY
NIGHT AND THURSDAY MORNING.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SNOWFALL...SNOW DRIFT HEIGHTS...WIND GUSTS...AND REPORTS OF WHITEOUT
CONDITIONS ARE APPRECIATED. REPORTS OF COASTAL FLOODING OR BLUFF
EROSION ALONG THE LAKE MICHIGAN SHORELINE WOULD BE APPRECIATED ALSO.

LMZ643>646-021145-
SHEBOYGAN TO PORT WASHINGTON WI-
PORT WASHINGTON TO NORTH POINT LIGHT WI-
NORTH POINT LIGHT TO WIND POINT WI-
WIND POINT WI TO WINTHROP HARBOR IL-
320 PM CST TUE FEB 1 2011

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF LAKE MICHIGAN.

.DAY ONE...REST OF THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

NORTHEAST GALES WILL INCREASE TO STORM FORCE BY MID EVENING AS
STRONG LOW PRESSURE MOVES TOWARDS INDIANA. VERY HIGH WAVES TO 16
FEET AND HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY IS EXPECTED.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY

STORM FORCE WINDS WILL CONTINUE EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING AND THEN
DIMINISH A BIT TO GALE FORCE FOR WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. VERY HIGH
WAVES AND HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WILL CONTINUE AS WELL AND ALSO
SUBSIDE LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT.

BRISK SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS WILL LIKELY REQUIRE A SMALL CRAFT
ADVISORY FOR THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING.

COLLAR
WWW.WEATHER.GOV/MKX

In the hours before

Local storm report, Feb 1, 5:03 PM CST, 3 hours 57 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
503 PM CST TUE FEB 01 2011

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0400 PM     SNOW             3 SE EAGLE              42.85N 88.43W
02/01/2011  M7.0 INCH        WAUKESHA           WI   TRAINED SPOTTER

            STORM TOTAL SO FAR. LATEST WIND GUST 35 MPH WITH
            VISIBILITY LESS THAN A HALF MILE.

&&

MRC

Local storm report, Feb 1, 7:18 PM CST, 1 hour 42 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
718 PM CST TUE FEB 01 2011

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0600 PM     SNOW             NWS SULLIVAN/MILWAUKEE  42.97N 88.55W
02/01/2011  M3.5 INCH        JEFFERSON          WI   OFFICIAL NWS OBS

            TODAYS TOTAL AS OF 6 PM CST

0600 PM     SNOW             MADISON TRUAX AIRPORT   43.14N 89.33W
02/01/2011  M2.4 INCH        DANE               WI   OFFICIAL NWS OBS

            TODAYS TOTAL AS OF 6 PM CST

0600 PM     SNOW             MILWAUKEE INTERNATIONAL 42.94N 87.90W
02/01/2011  M1.6 INCH        MILWAUKEE          WI   OFFICIAL NWS OBS

            TODAYS TOTAL AS OF 6 PM CST

0600 PM     SNOW             5 SW MADISON            43.03N 89.45W
02/01/2011  M1.1 INCH        DANE               WI   TRAINED SPOTTER

            SNOW TOTAL BETWEEN 415 PM AND 6 PM CST

0600 PM     SNOW             OREGON                  42.93N 89.38W
02/01/2011  M1.5 INCH        DANE               WI   TRAINED SPOTTER

            SNOW TOTAL BETWEEN 4 AND 6 PM CST...SNOW DRIFTS BETWEEN 2
            AND 2.5 FT

&&

SEARS

Local storm report, Feb 1, 7:19 PM CST, 1 hour 41 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
719 PM CST TUE FEB 01 2011

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0630 PM     SNOW             PEWAUKEE                43.09N 88.25W
02/01/2011  M6.1 INCH        WAUKESHA           WI   TRAINED SPOTTER

            TODAYS STORM TOTAL AS OF 630 PM CST

&&

SEARS

Local storm report, Feb 1, 7:50 PM CST, 1 hour 10 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
750 PM CST TUE FEB 01 2011

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0730 PM     HEAVY SNOW       OREGON                  42.93N 89.38W
02/01/2011  M1.5 INCH        DANE               WI   TRAINED SPOTTER

            IN THE PAST HOUR. 3 INCHES STORM TOTAL SINCE 4 PM.

&&

MRC

Local storm report, Feb 1, 8:37 PM CST, 23 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
837 PM CST TUE FEB 01 2011

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0800 PM     BLIZZARD         KENOSHA AIRPORT         42.60N 87.93W
02/01/2011                   KENOSHA            WI   ASOS

            FOUR HOURS OF BLIZZARD CONDITIONS FROM 400 PM TO 800 PM.
            1/4 MILE VISIBILITY...GUSTS 35 TO 44 KNOTS MEASURED AT
            ASOS.

&&

MRC

Local storm report, Feb 1, 8:43 PM CST, 17 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
843 PM CST TUE FEB 01 2011

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0415 PM     SNOW             WEST BEND               43.42N 88.18W
02/01/2011  M7.5 INCH        WASHINGTON         WI   TRAINED SPOTTER

            SNOW TOTAL FOR 24 HOUR PERIOD

0430 PM     BLIZZARD         6 S NEW BERLIN          42.89N 88.13W
02/01/2011                   WAUKESHA           WI   TRAINED SPOTTER

            46 MPH WIND GUST

0610 PM     BLIZZARD         1 WSW DE FOREST         43.24N 89.36W
02/01/2011                   DANE               WI   TRAINED SPOTTER

            43 MPG WIND GUST

0700 PM     BLIZZARD         1 S PAOLI               42.91N 89.52W
02/01/2011                   DANE               WI   TRAINED SPOTTER

            WHITE CONDITIONS NOTED...1-3 FT DRIFTS ALONG HWY 69

0700 PM     HEAVY SNOW       3 S LA GRANGE           42.76N 88.60W
02/01/2011  M2.0 INCH        WALWORTH           WI   TRAINED SPOTTER

            STORM AMOUNT BETWEEN 5-7 MPH

0730 PM     SNOW             1 NW MIDDLETON          43.11N 89.52W
02/01/2011  M2.3 INCH        DANE               WI   TRAINED SPOTTER

            STORM TOTAL BETWEEN 3 AND 7 PM...DRIFTS 3-4 FT...HIGHEST
            WIND GUST 33 PMH

0730 PM     BLIZZARD         2 WSW RACINE            42.72N 87.82W
02/01/2011                   RACINE             WI   TRAINED SPOTTER

            WIND GUSTS ESTIMATED 55 MPH...VISIBILITY NEAR WHITEOUT
            CONDITIONS...4 INCHES SINCE 330 PM

0812 PM     BLIZZARD         1 NNW WAUKESHA          43.03N 88.25W
02/01/2011                   WAUKESHA           WI   TRAINED SPOTTER

            VISIBILITY LESS THAN 1/8 MILE

0815 PM     BLIZZARD         BURLINGTON              42.68N 88.28W
02/01/2011                   RACINE             WI   TRAINED SPOTTER

            VISIBILITY BETWEEN ZERO AND TWO BLOCKS

&&

SEARS

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Marquette

When: February 1, 9:00 PM CST to February 2, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Marquette forecast zone
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 43.820, -89.399 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Green Lake

When: February 1, 9:00 PM CST to February 2, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Green Lake forecast zone
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 43.800, -89.045 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Sauk

When: February 1, 9:00 PM CST to February 2, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Sauk forecast zone
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 43.427, -89.948 (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 2011 Every state in 2011 This day in weather history Warnings in Wisconsin, February 2011

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: 287008, 287010, 287011.