Much warmer than normal temperatures from February 17th to the 22nd caused rapid snow melt and ice jams on rivers, especially across central Wisconsin. High temperatures there were in the 50s to lower 60s each day, while overnight lows remained near or above freezing.
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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.
Much warmer than normal temperatures from February 17th to the 22nd caused rapid snow melt and ice jams on rivers, especially across central Wisconsin. High temperatures there were in the 50s to lower 60s each day, while overnight lows remained near or above freezing.
Seven rivers across central Wisconsin exceeded flood stage. The flooding was minor in most cases, impacting low, agricultural, and wooded land adjacent to the rivers. The exception was the Yellow River which crested just below moderate flood stage at Babcock, and due to ice jams, crested just above moderate flood stage at Pittsville. |The ice became lodged in the thick wooded areas along the river. A region between Pittsville and Dexterville along Highway 80 experienced the worst of the flooding.
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 21, 4:47 AM CST, 5 hours 13 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Green Bay WI 447 AM CST Tue Feb 21 2017 Updated aviation portion for 12Z TAF issuance .SHORT TERM...Today...Tonight...and Wednesday Issued at 313 AM CST Tue Feb 21 2017 North to south band of light rain will continue to drift eastward over eastern Wisconsin this morning. A few showers may linger along the lakeshore a few hours longer after daybreak. Otherwise drier air on westerly winds will move into the area. Forecast challenge turns back to max temperatures today. Much of the area will get a warm start this morning with anticipated sunshine by this afternoon. Satellite imagery shows a large area of stratus from northern Minnesota into the northwest half of the state. Observations over the southeast half of the state show mid level clouds with the departing light rain. With westerly winds, these low level clouds may attempt to drift eastward over the area this morning. Forecast sounding suggests subsidence mixing with dry air aloft will diminish the low clouds today, so will continue to go with the current forecast of returning sunshine today. Depending on cloud trends, temperatures could be adjusted either way. Mid level clouds over the northern Plains this morning will be on the increase over northwest Wisconsin late today into tonight. These clouds are associated with a weak short wave with frontal system to slide over tonight into Wednesday. A couple of showers are possible across the north with this system. Forecast max temperatures will continue to be above normal, but northern areas may be held in check a bit depending on clouds again. .LONG TERM...Wednesday Night Through Monday Issued at 313 AM CST Tue Feb 21 2017 Model differences and their impact on an approaching system for late in the week are the main forecast concerns. Some differences among the models were already apparent by the time this part of the forecast begins. A passing mid level short wave and a surface low moving through the region will bring a chance for precipitation to the northern part of the forecast area Wednesday night. Temperatures should generally be warm enough for rain, but the rain may change to a wintry mix shortly before coming to an end. Thursday morning looks to be dry but rain chances reach parts of central and east central Wisconsin during the afternoon ahead of the next approaching system. The 00Z GFS and ECMWF were farther north with the approaching surface low, taking it across Wisconsin. The 00Z Canadian and NAM were farther south, taking it across Illinois. The northern path would bring warmer air into the forecast area, causing precipitation type issues in parts of central and eastern Wisconsin. It would also result in the heaviest snow falling farther to the west and north. After this system passes, much colder air arrives. Highs should be below normal Saturday through Monday. The colder air could bring some lake effect snow showers to the far northern part of the forecast area. && .AVIATION...for 12Z TAF Issuance Issued at 446 AM CST Tue Feb 21 2017 A period of ifr cigs in the wake of a band of precipitation overnight will persist this morning over most locations. Drier air in the mid levels expected to erode clouds late morning into the afternoon to improve condition to VFR levels. The VFR levels will continue tonight. Marginal LLWS conditions possible across north central and central Wisconsin starting this evening and then overnight over Northeast Wisconsin. && .GRB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && SHORT TERM.....TDH LONG TERM......MG AVIATION.......TDH
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Green Bay WI 314 AM CST Tue Feb 21 2017 WIZ005-010>013-018>022-030-031-035>040-045-048>050-073-074-220915- 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- 314 AM CST Tue Feb 21 2017 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for north-central and northeast Wisconsin. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight The combination of melting snow during the past week and overnight rain will cause some rivers to rise across central and north- central Wisconsin. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday The continued warm temperatures with recent rainfall will continue to produce runoff which could produce ice breakup or make ice conditions unstable on area rivers, lakes, and reservoirs through the week. Monitor local ice conditions in the coming days, and consider securing and protecting equipment, and removing ice shacks. A strong low pressure system will bring wintry precipitation to the area from Thursday night through Saturday. This system has the potential to bring several inches of accumulating snow to north-central and northeast Wisconsin. The exact track of the low will determine where the swath of heavy snow will end up falling, therefore future forecasts should be closely monitored. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will not be needed today or tonight. LMZ521-522-541>543-220915- The Bay of Green Bay south of a line from Cedar River MI to Rock Island Passage-Lake Michigan from Washington Island to Sheboygan- 314 AM CST Tue Feb 21 2017 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of northwest Lake Michigan and the waters of Green Bay. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight The combination of continued warm temperatures this week and recent rainfall may make ice conditions unstable on the Bay of Green Bay. All interests should closely monitor local ice conditions in the coming days, and consider securing and protecting equipment. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday There is a chance of gale force gusts with the passage of a strong cyclone on Friday through Saturday. TDH/MG
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
An ice jam on the Yellow River caused flooding of basements and the ground floors of homes near the river, mainly from Pittsville to Dexterville. Property damage totals included in this report are only a rough estimate.
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, February 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: 679536.