A 95-year-old woman wandered away from her home on the evening of February 3rd and was found dead near railroad tracks on the morning of February 4th. Temperatures during the period in which she was missing generally ranged from 6 to 13 degrees with wind chills as low as 5 below zero.
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.
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.
A 95-year-old woman wandered away from her home on the evening of February 3rd and was found dead near railroad tracks on the morning of February 4th. Temperatures during the period in which she was missing generally ranged from 6 to 13 degrees with wind chills as low as 5 below zero.
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 Feb 3, 5:32 PM CST, 28 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREEN BAY WI 532 PM CST TUE FEB 3 2015 UPDATED AVIATION PORTION FOR 00Z TAF ISSUANCE .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY ISSUED AT 249 PM CST TUE FEB 3 2015 CLIPPER SYSTEM HAS TURNED OUT TO BE A LITTLE MORE POTENT BASED ON SNOWFALL TOTALS UPSTREAM. BELIEVE THAT 1 TO 3 INCHES OF SNOW WILL HOLD FOR THE TOTALS SOUTH OF A KEWAUNEE TO MARSHFIELD LINE. THE COMBINATION OF THE SNOW...PERIODIC LOW VISIBILITIES IN THE HEAVIER SNOW BANDS DURING THE AFTERNOON COMMUTE HOME WOULD SUPPORT A SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT. TOTALS ACROSS THE NORTH WILL BE LESS...EXCEPT OVER THE SNOWBELT REGION OF NORTHWEST VILAS COUNTY WHERE LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS WILL BE ON THE INCREASE LATER TONIGHT. THE ACCUMULATING SNOW WILL COME TO AN END FROM WEST TO EAST THIS EVENING...ALTHOUGH FLURRIES COULD LINGER FOR A FEW HOURS LONGER. MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WILL BE TRICKY DEPENDING ON IF ANY BREAKS IN THE CLOUDS DEVELOP LATER TONIGHT. NORTHWEST WINDS WILL BE ON THE INCREASE ON WEDNESDAY WHICH COULD CAUSE SOME MINOR DRIFTING OF THE NEW SNOW. IT WILL BE REMAIN COLD WITH HIGHS FROM 8 TO 18 ABOVE. .LONG TERM...WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY ISSUED AT 249 PM CST TUE FEB 3 2015 VERY COLD TEMPERATURES WEDNESDAY NIGHT...AND PCPN TRENDS FROM FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY...ARE THE MAIN FCST CONCERNS. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD INTO THE REGION ON WEDS EVG...CAUSING LAKE-EFFECT TO TAPER OFF OVER NC WI...AND RESULTING IN DECREASING CLOUDS. LIGHT WINDS...CLEARING SKIES AND AN ARCTIC AIR MASS SHOULD SUPPORT VERY COLD MIN TEMPS IN THE -5 TO -15 F RANGE OVER MOST OF THE FORECAST AREA...WITH LOCAL -15 TO -20 F READINGS IN NORTH CENTRAL WI. AS THE HIGH SAGS SOUTH ON THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT... INCREASING SW WINDS WILL RESULT IN A GRADUAL MODERATION IN TEMPS. THE LEADING EDGE OF AN ARCTIC AIR MASS WILL SAG INTO THE REGION ON FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT...WITH A STRONG BAROCLINIC ZONE SETTING UP OVER THE FORECAST AREA THROUGH THE WEEKEND. A S/W TROF AND SOME FRONTOGENETIC FORCING WILL BRING A QUICK SHOT OF LIGHT SNOW TO MAINLY NORTHERN WI FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING...WITH ACCUMS AROUND AN INCH NEAR THE UPPER MICHIGAN BORDER. A MORE POTENT SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO IMPACT THE AREA SATURDAY NIGHT... AS LOW PRESSURE TRACKS THROUGH CENTRAL IL. MODELS DISAGREE WHERE THE MAIN AXIS OF ACCUMULATING SNOW WILL OCCUR...WITH THE ECMWF SHOWING HEAVIER SNOW FALLING FARTHER NORTH THAN THE GFS/GEM. DEVELOPING EAST WINDS MAY CAUSE SOME LAKE-ENHANCEMENT NEAR LAKE MICHIGAN...THOUGH OVER-WATER INSTABILITY IS MARGINAL. THIS SYSTEM MAY PRODUCE ADVISORY CRITERIA SNOW SOMEWHERE IN THE CWA...WITH THE BEST CHANCE IN CENTRAL AND EAST CENTRAL WI. HOWEVER...RECENT MODEL PERFORMANCE SUGGESTS THAT THIS ONLY A LOW TO MODERATE CONFIDENCE FORECAST AT THIS TIME. SNOW SHOULD TAPER OFF ON SUNDAY MORNING...WITH HIGH PRESSURE RIDGING INTO THE THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES FOR THE EARLY PART OF THE WORK WEEK. DRY CONDITIONS ARE ANTICIPATED UNTIL LATER IN THE DAY ON TUESDAY. && .AVIATION...FOR 00Z TAF ISSUANCE ISSUED AT 532 PM CST TUE FEB 3 2015 LIGHT SNOW WILL PRODUCE MVFR CONDITIONS IN MOST PLACES THIS EVENING. A FEW HOURS OF IFR POSSIBLE SOUTH OF A MERRILL TO STURGEON BAY LINE. THE SNOW WILL END BY LATE EVENING AND SOME CLEARING IS POSSIBLE IN THE FAR NORTH. BKN CLOUDS EXPECTED WED BETWEEN 2500 AND 3500 FEET. && .GRB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && SHORT TERM.....ECKBERG LONG TERM......KIECKBUSCH AVIATION.......RDM
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREEN BAY WI 300 PM CST TUE FEB 3 2015 WIZ005-010>013-018>022-030-031-035>040-045-048>050-073-074-042100- 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- 300 PM CST TUE FEB 3 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST WISCONSIN. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS CAN BE EXPECTED ON UNTREATED ROADS AND BRIDGES ACROSS MUCH OF THE REGION LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. A CLIPPER SYSTEM WILL BRING AN INCH OR TWO OF SNOW...WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS...TO LOCATIONS SOUTH OF A KEWAUNEE TO MARSHFIELD LINE. LIGHTER ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED FARTHER NORTH... EXCEPT IN THE SNOWBELT REGION OF NORTHWEST VILAS COUNTY...WHERE 1 TO 2 INCHES OF LAKE EFFECT SNOW IS POSSIBLE BY MORNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH TUESDAY THE LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE OVER FAR NORTH-CENTRAL WISCONSIN ON WEDNESDAY. AN INCH OR TWO OF ADDITIONAL ACCUMULATION IS POSSIBLE ACROSS THE SNOWBELT REGION OF NORTHWEST VILAS COUNTY... WITH LIGHTER AMOUNTS FARTHER SOUTH. A COUPLE ROUNDS OF ACCUMULATING SNOW ARE POSSIBLE THIS UPCOMING WEEKEND. AROUND AN INCH OF SNOW IS EXPECTED OVER FAR NORTHERN WISCONSIN FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. A MORE POTENT SYSTEM IS POSSIBLE ON SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING...WITH THE BEST CHANCE OF SIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATIONS OVER CENTRAL AND EAST CENTRAL WISCONSIN. THERE IS STILL MUCH UNCERTAINTY WITH SNOWFALL AMOUNTS AND THE LOCATION OF THE HEAVIEST SNOW...SO THOSE WITH WEEKEND TRAVEL PLANS SHOULD MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE REQUESTED TO FORWARD SNOWFALL REPORTS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREEN BAY. LMZ521-522-541>543-042100- THE BAY OF GREEN BAY SOUTH OF A LINE FROM CEDAR RIVER MI TO ROCK ISLAND PASSAGE-LAKE MICHIGAN FROM WASHINGTON ISLAND TO SHEBOYGAN- 300 PM CST TUE FEB 3 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST LAKE MICHIGAN AND THE WATERS OF GREEN BAY. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH TUESDAY THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. RE/TSK
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREEN BAY WI 1215 PM CST TUE FEB 3 2015 WIZ018>022-030-031-035>040-045-048>050-073-074-032015- LINCOLN-LANGLADE-MENOMINEE-NORTHERN OCONTO-DOOR-MARATHON-SHAWANO- WOOD-PORTAGE-WAUPACA-OUTAGAMIE-BROWN-KEWAUNEE-WAUSHARA-WINNEBAGO- CALUMET-MANITOWOC-SOUTHERN MARINETTE-SOUTHERN OCONTO- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...TOMAHAWK...ANTIGO...KESHENA... STURGEON BAY...WAUSAU...WISCONSIN RAPIDS...STEVENS POINT... APPLETON...GREEN BAY...ALGOMA...WAUTOMA...OSHKOSH...CHILTON... TWO RIVERS...CRIVITZ 1215 PM CST TUE FEB 3 2015 ...LIGHT SNOW TO IMPACT CENTRAL AND EAST-CENTRAL WISCONSIN LATER THIS AFTERNOON INTO THIS EVENING... A QUICK-MOVING CLIPPER SYSTEM IS FORECAST TO SPREAD LIGHT SNOW ACROSS THE SOUTHERN TWO THIRDS OF WISCONSIN LATER THIS AFTERNOON INTO THIS EVENING. THE SNOW WILL ARRIVE ACROSS CENTRAL WISCONSIN AROUND 3 PM...AND ACROSS THE FOX VALLEY AND LAKESHORE REGION BETWEEN 3 PM AND 5 PM. TOTAL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES ARE EXPECTED GENERALLY SOUTH OF A LINE FROM MARSHFIELD TO KEWAUNEE. WHILE THE AMOUNTS ARE MINOR...THE COMBINATION OF THE COLD TEMPERATURES AND LIGHT SNOW WILL CREATE SLIPPERY TRAVEL FOR THE EVENING COMMUTE HOME FROM WORK. VISIBILITIES IN THE HEAVIER SNOW BAND COULD ALSO DROP TO AROUND A MILE OR LESS FOR A BRIEF PERIOD OF TIME. MOTORISTS ARE URGED TO SLOW DOWN...AND ALLOW EXTRA DISTANCE BETWEEN YOU AND THE CAR IN FRONT OF YOU. THE SNOW IS FORECAST TO END FROM WEST TO EAST THIS EVENING AS THE SYSTEM MOVES AWAY FROM THE REGION. ECKBERG
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREEN BAY WI 308 PM CST TUE FEB 3 2015 WIZ018-019-030-035-036-032315- LINCOLN-LANGLADE-MARATHON-WOOD-PORTAGE- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...TOMAHAWK...ANTIGO...WAUSAU... WISCONSIN RAPIDS...STEVENS POINT 308 PM CST TUE FEB 3 2015 ...LIGHT SNOW TO IMPACT CENTRAL AND NORTH-CENTRAL WISCONSIN FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE AFTERNOON INTO THIS EVENING... LIGHT SNOW WILL CONTINUE TO OVERSPREAD CENTRAL AND PORTIONS OF NORTH-CENTRAL WISCONSIN BY 430 PM. THE SNOW MAY BE MODERATE AT TIMES...REDUCING VISIBILITIES DOWN TO A HALF MILE OR MILE FOR A BRIEF PERIOD OF THE TIME. THE COMBINATION OF THE LIGHT SNOW AND POOR VISIBILITIES WILL MAKE FOR A HAZARDOUS COMMUTE HOME FROM WORK ON UNTREATED ROADS AND BRIDGES. THE CLIPPER SYSTEM IS FAST MOVING...THUS SNOWFALL TOTALS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES ARE EXPECTED SOUTH OF A MARSHFIELD TO KEWAUNEE LINE WITH LESSER AMOUNTS TO THE NORTH. THE ACCUMULATING SNOW IS EXPECTED TO END FROM WEST TO EAST THIS EVENING. WIZ020>022-031-037>040-045-048>050-073-074-032315- MENOMINEE-NORTHERN OCONTO-DOOR-SHAWANO-WAUPACA-OUTAGAMIE-BROWN- KEWAUNEE-WAUSHARA-WINNEBAGO-CALUMET-MANITOWOC-SOUTHERN MARINETTE- SOUTHERN OCONTO- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...KESHENA...STURGEON BAY...APPLETON... GREEN BAY...ALGOMA...WAUTOMA...OSHKOSH...CHILTON...TWO RIVERS... CRIVITZ 308 PM CST TUE FEB 3 2015 ...LIGHT SNOW TO IMPACT NORTHEAST AND EAST-CENTRAL WISCONSIN LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING... LIGHT SNOW WILL RAPIDLY OVERSPREAD NORTHEAST AND EAST-CENTRAL WISCONSIN BY 530 PM. THE SNOW MAY BE MODERATE AT TIMES...REDUCING VISIBILITIES DOWN TO A HALF MILE OR MILE FOR A BRIEF PERIOD OF THE TIME. THE COMBINATION OF THE LIGHT SNOW AND POOR VISIBILITIES WILL MAKE FOR A HAZARDOUS COMMUTE HOME FROM WORK ON UNTREATED ROADS AND BRIDGES. THE CLIPPER SYSTEM IS FAST MOVING...THUS SNOWFALL TOTALS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES ARE EXPECTED SOUTH OF A MARSHFIELD TO KEWAUNEE LINE WITH LESSER AMOUNTS TO THE NORTH. THE ACCUMULATING SNOW IS EXPECTED TO END FROM WEST TO EAST LATER THIS EVENING. ECKBERG
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 cold/wind chill. Local standard time, as filed.
Temperatures fell from 13 degrees early on the evening of February 3rd, to 6 degrees during the morning of February 4th.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cold/Wind Chill, Marathon | 2015-02-04 | 95 | Female | Outside/Open Areas | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Wisconsin in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Wisconsin, February 2015
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: 551214.