Low pressure from Canada moved across Wisconsin and produced a swath of heavy snow over northeast Wisconsin. ).
Every event with a place to put it; 7 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.
Low pressure from Canada moved across Wisconsin and produced a swath of heavy snow over northeast Wisconsin. Some of the highest official totals included 11.5 inches in Sturgeon Bay (Door Co.), 11.0 inches 4 miles west of Oconto (Oconto Co.), 10.0 inches in Two Rivers (Manitowoc Co.), and 9.3 inches near Juddville (Door Co.).
A new daily snowfall record of 7.1 inches was set for December 13 in Green Bay (Brown Co.), breaking the previous record of 4.7 inches set in 1909.
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 12, 9:11 PM CST, 6 hours 49 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Green Bay WI 911 PM CST Tue Dec 12 2017 Updated aviation portion for 06Z TAF issuance and new information added to update section .UPDATE... Issued at 856 PM CST Tue Dec 12 2017 No headline changes planned this evening. The lead band of snow has pushed into the western part of the forecast area. It may tend to weaken as it shifts east, but will snows will probably continue to develop southeast into the area as well. So anticipate intermittent snowfall early tonight. Precipitation should increase in intensity and become more widespread after midnight. Considered pulling the advisory start time back to begin it earlier. But although snow will cause some slippery roads overnight, the main impact will be later tonight and tomorrow so plan to leave the advisory start time as is for now. Still some rather substantial differences in the models in the placement of the maximum precipitation. At this point, favor the ECMWF which seems to focus the max on east-central Wisconsin. Many of the other models were considerably overdone with the previous 2 rounds of snow, while the ECMWF did better in forecasting lighter amounts. Although it's not exactly the same thing, will defer to it for placement of the snows as well. If radar indicates more persistent snows across the north late tonight into tomorrow morning, the north may eventually need to be added to the advisory as well. Updated product suite will be out ASAP. && .SHORT TERM...Tonight and Wednesday Issued at 218 PM CST Tue Dec 12 2017 The main concern in the short term is snowfall with the upcoming system that is expected to bring accumulating snow to the area, mainly during the day on Wednesday. Radar imagery indicated some light snow and flurries in Minnesota and far western Wisconsin at 20Z. Models showed this weaker band of light snow/flurries moving into central Wisconsin this evening ahead of the main snow even. There could be a few tenths of an inch of snow with this before midnight, but heavier snow is forecast to move into the area later in the night as a surface low and mid level short wave reach southern Minnesota by 12Z Wednesday. The 12Z NAM, GFS & ECMWF all brought quite a bit of precipitation into central and eastern Wisconsin between 12Z and 18Z as the short wave and surface low move to northern Illinois and another mid level short wave approaches from the northwest. Based on the 12Z models there should be enough snowfall during the day on Wednesday to justify at least an advisory across a majority of the forecast area. 850 mb winds and temperatures become favorable for lake effect in eastern Wisconsin later in the event. Highest model QPF suggests that there could be enough snow in parts of east central Wisconsin to justify a warning, but confidence is not currently high enough to go this route. As a result, we have gone the advisory route in hopes that 00Z model trends make the outcome of the event look clearer. .LONG TERM...Wednesday Night Through Tuesday Issued at 218 PM CST Tue Dec 12 2017 Fairly busy long term pattern for the remainder of the week and into this weekend. Snow is expected to linger into Wednesday evening over eastern Wisconsin as a clipper low pressure system tracks southeast of the area. Lake enhanced snow may also contribute to additional accumulation along Lake Michigan wednesday evening before ending. Wind fields late Wednesday night into Thursday appear more westerly across the area ahead of a short wave trough approaching from the north. This would suggest a lesser lake effect snow potential across the far north central Wisconsin until Friday. The strong upper ridge over the western Conus breaks down late this week into the weekend resulting in a more zonal flow and a moderating temperature trend. A series of westerly low pressure systems will slide over the area with one system producing a decent warm air advection pattern and precipitation for Saturday. A few more systems in the northern stream brush over the northern Great Lakes region late in the weekend and into early next week. && .AVIATION...for 06Z TAF Issuance Issued at 856 PM CST Tue Dec 12 2017 Flight conditions will vary considerably early tonight as the lead snow band shifts east across the area and weakens. Conditions are still expected to deteriorate rapidly late tonight as snow increases across the area. Anticipate IFR and occasional LIFR conditions Wednesday as the main snow band moves through. && .GRB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Weather Advisory from 4 AM to 6 PM CST Wednesday for WIZ018>021-030-031-035>039-045-048-049-073-074. Winter Weather Advisory from 4 AM to 9 PM CST Wednesday for WIZ022-040-050. && UPDATE.........Skowronski SHORT TERM.....MG LONG TERM......TDH AVIATION.......Skowronski
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Green Bay WI 937 PM CST Tue Dec 12 2017 WIZ005-010>013-018>022-030-031-035>040-045-048>050-073-074-131200- Vilas-Oneida-Forest-Florence-Northern Marinette County-Lincoln- Langlade-Menominee-Northern Oconto County-Door-Marathon-Shawano- Wood-Portage-Waupaca-Outagamie-Brown-Kewaunee-Waushara-Winnebago- Calumet-Manitowoc-Southern Marinette County- Southern Oconto County- 937 PM CST Tue Dec 12 2017 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for north-central and northeast Wisconsin. .DAY ONE...Tonight Hazardous travel conditions are expected to develop tonight. Occasional light snow over central Wisconsin during the evening will expand across the remainder of the area and become heavier by late tonight. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Tuesday Hazardous travel conditions are expected across the area on Wednesday as the snow continues. It is expected to taper off from northwest to southeast during the afternoon. Gusty north winds on the backside of the departing storm system will result in some blowing and drifting snow Wednesday afternoon and evening, especially in east-central Wisconsin. Hazardous travel is possible Saturday into Saturday night as another clipper type system brings light snow to the region. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters are requested to forward snowfall measurements to the National Weather Service in Green Bay. LMZ521-522-541>543-131200- The Bay of Green Bay south of a line from Cedar River MI to Rock Island Passage-Lake Michigan from Washington Island to Sheboygan- 937 PM CST Tue Dec 12 2017 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. Skowronski
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
7 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
A storm total of 8.0 inches of snow fell in Wausaukee.
A storm total of 11.0 inches of snow fell 4 miles west of Oconto. Lesser totals included 8.6 inches in Abrams and 8.5 inches near Lena.
A storm total of 11.5 inches of snow fell at the Sturgeon Bay Experimental Farm and 9.3 inches fell near Juddville.
A storm total of 8.0 inches of snow fell 3 miles southeast of Pella and at the waste water treatment plant near Shawano.
A storm total of 9.0 inches of snow fell in Suamico and 8.4 inches fell at the waste water treatment plant in Denmark. Green Bay's total of 7.1 inches set a new record snowfall for the date.
A storm total of 10.0 inches of snow fell in Two Rivers and 9.0 inches fell in Manitowoc.
Heavy snow fell in Kewaunee County.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Wisconsin in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyWarnings in Wisconsin, December 2017
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: 726267, 726268, 726269, 726270, 726271, 726272, 726273.