Heavy snow fell in parts of east-central Wisconsin as an elongated area of low pressure passed through the state. ).
Every event with a place to put it; 2 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS GRB wrote it up.
Heavy snow fell in parts of east-central Wisconsin as an elongated area of low pressure passed through the state. Snowfall totals in the Fox Valley reached the 8 to 9 inch range, with 9.0 inches at Oshkosh (Winnebago Co.), 8.5 inches at Menasha (Winnebago Co.) and 8.1 inches at Darboy (Calumet Co.).
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 Green Bay, WI wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 28, 10:41 AM CST, 3 hours 19 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREEN BAY WI 1041 AM CST FRI DEC 28 2012 ADDED UPDATE SECTION AND AVIATION SECTION FOR 18Z TAF ISSUANCE .UPDATE...SNOWS CONTG ACRS ABOUT THE SRN 1/2 OF THE FCST AREA. EXPECT A SLOW EXPANSION N DURING THE AFTN AND INTO THE EVENING...BUT THE HEAVIEST SNOWS WL REMAIN ACRS THE S. GIVEN WHAT HAS ALREADY FALLEN...RADAR TRENDS...AND THE EXPECTATION THAT SNOWS WL PERSIST LONGER INTO TNGT...WL RAISE SNOW TOTALS. TOTALS ACRS THE FAR S ARE BORDERLINE FOR HAVING AN ADVISORY...BUT GIVEN THE LACK OF WIND AND THE SNOW FALLING OVER A FAIRLY LONG PERIOD OF TIME...HAVE DECIDED FOREGO ADVISORY AT THIS POINT. UPDATED PRODUCT SUITE OUT ASAP. SKOWRONSKI && .PREV DISCUSSION...ISSUED AT 601 AM CST FRI DEC 28 2012... SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY...MAIN ISSUE THIS FORECAST PERIOD...WILL BE SNOW WITH INVERTED TROF PASSING TO OUR SOUTH. AREA RADAR MOSAIC SHOWING AREA OF LIGHT SNOW EDGING NORTH AND EAST THROUGH SOUTHERN HALF OF WI. SURFACE REPORTS AND WEBCAM IMAGERY SHOWING VISBYS THAT INDICATE MAINLY FLURRIES SO FAR OVER SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST CWA. MAIN CHANGE TO PREVIOUS FORECAST PACKAGE WAS TO BOOST SNOW AMOUNTS SLIGHTLY SOUTH HALF OF CWA. DID NOT GET CARRIED AWAY THOUGH AS AMOUNTS SEEN TO WEST GENERALLY 1 TO 3 INCHES. MODEL RH FORECASTS SUGGEST SOME DRY AIR IN THE 850-700 MB LAYER STILL NEEDS TO BE OVERCOME BEFORE ACCUMULATING SNOWS COMMENCE. MORE STEADY SNOWS EXPECTED MAINLY THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING WHEN MODEL...ECMWF/GFS...CROSS-SECTIONS SUGGEST SATURATION AND LIFT INTO THE DENDRITIC GROWTH AREA. MODELS ALSO SUGGESTING SLIGHTLY STRONGER WAA/FGEN SOUTHERN HALF CWA. FURTHER NORTH...LIMITED DYNAMICS AND MOISTURE SUGGESTS STAYING IN CHANCE CATEGORY FOR POPS. LAKE CONTRIBUTION EXPECTED TO BE MINIMAL OVER OUR CWA AS WIND PROFILES SFC TO 850 LIGHT AND HAVE TOO MUCH SHEAR. LENGTH OF TIME WHEN SNOW TO FALL WOULD NEGATE REACHING ADVISORY LEVELS...THOUGH WILL HIGHLIGHT A BIT MORE THIS MORNING WITH SPS. SECONDARY SHORT WAVE PASSING SATURDAY TO KEEP CHANCE FOR LIGHT SNOW OR FLURRIES GOING THROUGH THE MORNING. STUCK CLOSE TO PERSISTENCE WITH TEMPS...BLENDING WITH BETTER PERFORMING GUIDANCE. LONG TERM...SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY. MODELS DID NOT HAVE ANY MAJOR SYSTEMS PASSING THROUGH THE AREA DURING THIS PART OF THE FORECAST...BUT THERE WERE SEVERAL SHORT WAVE TROUGHS EXPECTED TO MOVE THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES REGION. SYSTEMS SHOULD BRING LITTLE MOISTURE SO THE BEST CHANCE FOR SNOW SHOWERS SHOULD BE IN NORTH-CENTRAL WISCONSIN AS UPPER FLOW BRINGS COLD AIR OUT OF THE CANADIAN PLAINS OVER LAKE SUPERIOR. POPS REMAIN IN THE SLIGHT CHANCE CATEGORY IN THE GRIDS FOR NOW...SO THEY WILL NOT SHOW UP IN TEXT PRODUCTS. TEMPERATURES SHOULD BE BELOW NORMAL DURING THE PERIOD. && .AVIATION...FOR 18Z TAF ISSUANCE. WIDESPREAD MVFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED THROUGHOUT...WITH SOME IFR CONDITIONS ACRS THE SRN PART OF THE AREA TDA AND THIS EVENING. && .GRB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREEN BAY WI 1053 AM CST FRI DEC 28 2012 WIZ005-010>013-018>022-030-031-035>040-045-048>050-073-074-291200- VILAS-ONEIDA-FOREST-FLORENCE-NORTHERN MARINETTE-LINCOLN-LANGLADE- MENOMINEE-NORTHERN OCONTO-DOOR-MARATHON-SHAWANO-WOOD-PORTAGE- WAUPACA-OUTAGAMIE-BROWN-KEWAUNEE-WAUSHARA-WINNEBAGO-CALUMET- MANITOWOC-SOUTHERN MARINETTE-SOUTHERN OCONTO- 1053 AM CST FRI DEC 28 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST WISCONSIN. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT LIGHT SNOW WILL RESULT IN HAZARDOUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS ACROSS MUCH OF WISCONSIN TODAY AND TONIGHT. ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED TO RANGE FROM LESS THAN AN INCH IN THE FAR NORTHEAST CORNER OF THE STATE...TO AS MUCH AS 4 INCHES ACROSS PARTS OF CENTRAL AND EAST- CENTRAL WISCONSIN. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE REQUESTED TO FORWARD SNOWFALL MEASUREMENTS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREEN BAY. LMZ521-522-541>543-291200- THE BAY OF GREEN BAY SOUTH OF A LINE FROM CEDAR RIVER MI TO ROCK ISLAND PASSAGE-LAKE MICHIGAN FROM WASHINGTON ISLAND TO SHEBOYGAN- 1053 AM CST FRI DEC 28 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST LAKE MICHIGAN AND THE WATERS OF GREEN BAY. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. SKOWRONSKI
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREEN BAY WI 1100 AM CST FRI DEC 28 2012 WIZ020-022-030-031-035>040-045-048>050-074-282100- MENOMINEE-DOOR-MARATHON-SHAWANO-WOOD-PORTAGE-WAUPACA-OUTAGAMIE- BROWN-KEWAUNEE-WAUSHARA-WINNEBAGO-CALUMET-MANITOWOC- SOUTHERN OCONTO- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...KESHENA...STURGEON BAY...WAUSAU... WISCONSIN RAPIDS...STEVENS POINT...APPLETON...GREEN BAY... ALGOMA...WAUTOMA...OSHKOSH...CHILTON...TWO RIVERS 1100 AM CST FRI DEC 28 2012 ...LIGHT SNOW LIKELY TO HINDER TRAVEL IN CENTRAL AND EAST-CENTRAL WISCONSIN THROUGH TONIGHT... A WEAK STORM CROSSING THE REGION WILL BRING AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF LIGHT SNOW TO MUCH OF WISCONSIN TODAY AND TONIGHT. ROADWAYS ACROSS THE AREA...ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT ARE UNTREATED...WILL BE SNOW COVERED AND SLIPPERY AT TIMES. THAT WILL HINDER TRAVEL ACROSS THE REGION. BE SURE TO USE EXTRA CAUTION WHEN TRAVELING TODAY OR TONIGHT...AND ALLOW FOR EXTRA TRAVEL TIME. SKOWRONSKI
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREEN BAY WI
1220 PM CST FRI DEC 28 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1220 PM SNOW ASHWAUBENON 44.46N 88.08W
12/28/2012 M0.6 INCH BROWN WI OFFICIAL NWS OBS
LIGHT SNOW CONTINUES.
&&
SACPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREEN BAY WI
108 PM CST FRI DEC 28 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0108 PM SNOW OSHKOSH 44.01N 88.55W
12/28/2012 M1.4 INCH WINNEBAGO WI TRAINED SPOTTER
&&PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREEN BAY WI
148 PM CST FRI DEC 28 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0148 PM SNOW APPLETON 44.26N 88.40W
12/28/2012 M1.3 INCH OUTAGAMIE WI NWS EMPLOYEE
&&The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Snowfall totals were mostly in the 8 to 9 inch range in northern Winnebago County.
Snowfall totals were around 8 inches in northern Calumet County.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Wisconsin in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in Wisconsin, December 2012
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: 418610, 418611.