Wisconsin, 2013

Ice Storm in Wisconsin, April 11, 2013

April 11, 2013 · NWS ARX · 1 event in 1 county or zone

Icy conditions developed across portions of western Wisconsin as freezing rain created a layer of ice on some roads and most exposed surfaces. The Buffalo County Emergency Manager reported dangerous road conditions across the county with numerous slide offs.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 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
1

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 ARX wrote it up.

Icy conditions developed across portions of western Wisconsin as freezing rain created a layer of ice on some roads and most exposed surfaces. The Buffalo County Emergency Manager reported dangerous road conditions across the county with numerous slide offs. Most schools across Buffalo County were closed April 11th.

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 La Crosse, WI wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 10, 5:18 PM CST, 9 hours 12 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 10, 5:18 PM CST, 9 hours 12 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 10, 2:10 PM CST, 12 hours 20 minutes before
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The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 ice storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Ice Storm, Buffalo

When
April 11, 2:30 AM CST to 11:00 AM CST
Where
Buffalo forecast zone
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
44.380, -91.754 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Icy conditions developed across Buffalo County as freezing rain created a layer of ice on some roads and most exposed surfaces. Dangerous road conditions were reported across the county with numerous slide offs. Most schools across Buffalo County were closed or delayed on April 11th.

What these are

Ice Storm
Freezing rain accumulating a quarter inch or more of ice, or less where it caused significant damage.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Wisconsin in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in Wisconsin, April 2013

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: 439639.