Snow and sleet fell across central and north central Wisconsin as a low pressure system moved from the Plains into Lower Michigan. There was even some thunder with the wintry precipitation.
Every event with a place to put it; 11 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.
Snow and sleet fell across central and north central Wisconsin as a low pressure system moved from the Plains into Lower Michigan. There was even some thunder with the wintry precipitation. Snowfall totals were mostly in the 6 to 10 inch range. The highest totals included: 10.2 inches near Lac du Flambeau (Vilas Co.); 9.2 inches near Mosinee (Marathon Co.); 9.1 inches northwest of Big Falls (Waupaca Co.); 8.5 inches at Summit Lake (Langlade Co.); and 8.0 inches near Goodnow (Oneida Co.), Spread Eagle (Florence Co.), and Shawano (Shawano Co.).
Wind gusts were in the 30 to 35 mph range across central Wisconsin, and gusts across east central Wisconsin reached the 40 to 46 mph range. The strongest gusts included 46 mph at Green Bay (Brown Co.) and Chambers Island (Door Co.), 43 mph at Kewaunee (Kewaunee Co.), and 40 mph at Scandinavia (Waupaca 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 Feb 23, 10:33 PM CST, 1 hour 27 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Green Bay WI 1033 PM CST Thu Feb 23 2017 Updated aviation portion for 06Z TAF issuance .SYNOPSIS... Issued at 226 PM CST Thu Feb 23 2017 A major winter storm will affect the area tonight through Friday night, with snow across much of the area and a mix of wintry precipitation in east-central Wisconsin. The large scale pattern at the onset of the period will have a trough over the Rockies and ridges over the eastern Pacific and near the East Coast. The main change during the period will be for the trough to broaden eastward. The pattern will support a major cyclone in the central United States the next couple days, then several more opportunities for precipitation beyond that. The result should be above normal precipitation for the period. Temperatures will vary some from day to day, but will probably not depart too far from seasonal normals. && .SHORT TERM...Tonight and Friday Issued at 226 PM CST Thu Feb 23 2017 Main forecast challenge remains on the impending storm starting late this evening and continuing into Saturday. Trying to determine the snow/mixed precipitation line remains troublesome, as well as snow accumulations and ice accumulations. The 20z MSAS surface analysis showed the main area of low pressure just exiting the central Rockies into the central Plains. A quasi-stationary front extended east-northeast from the low toward the Mid-MS Valley. The radar mosaic already picking up on increasing echoes headed toward WI, an indication of the increasing lift/forcing headed our way. After much collaboration with surrounding offices, have placed northern and central WI into a winter storm warning, with eastern WI in a winter weather advisory for late tonight through Friday (and continuing beyond). The low pressure is expected to move across the central CONUS and reach roughly the Quad Cities by 12z Friday. A surge of WAA and frontogenetical forcing will overspread WI late this evening/overnight and bring a swath of snow, primarily to central and east-central WI. As temperatures warm aloft late tonight, some freezing rain may mix with the snow roughly from Wautoma to Manitowoc. Accumulations by daybreak to range from one- half inch or less near the MI border, 2 to 4 inches for central /east-central WI. Another concern will be the increased winds which are forecast to reach 15 to 25 mph after midnight. Gusts could reach 30 mph and create at least drifting snow, if not some blowing snow. Travel for the morning rush hour will be impacted with low visibilities and snow-covered roads. As the surface low tracks northeast across Chicago into central Lower MI on Friday, snow will continue to fly across north-central and parts of central WI. The push of warmer air ahead of the storm is expected to mix freezing rain with the snow across eastern and the rest of central WI. The big problem remains the potential of a dry slot that could change the precipitation into drizzle or freezing drizzle and limit snow amounts. Enough accumulation of either snow or ice justifies continuing the headline through the day. Latest thinking is for an additional 2 to 4 inches of snow in the warning area and perhaps a tenth or two of ice in the advisory area. Blustery winds to also persist on Friday with north to northeast winds at 15 to 25 mph and gusts again pushing 30 to 35 mph. Would not be surprised if there is a clap of thunder Friday morning somewhere over WI on Friday due to steep mid-level lapse rates. .LONG TERM...Friday Night Through Thursday Issued at 226 PM CST Thu Feb 23 2017 Large dry slot is likely to be across at least the southeast half of the forecast area at the onset of the long-term part of the forecast. Precipitation is likely to be primarily in the form of drizzle or freezing drizzle within the dry slot. But mid-level lapse rates within the dry slot are fairly steep, so any convective elements embedded within the dry slot will probably produce snow. Built forecast with the freezing drizzle gradually shifting out of the area to the east overnight, being replaced by all snow. Winds over central Wisconsin may be strong enough to result in some blowing and drifting snow during the evening. Winds will be stronger in the east, but the drizzle/freezing drizzle in the dry slot will probably cut down on the blowing/drifting potential. Opted to extend the advisory for the east through to 12Z Saturday due to the mixed precipitation during the evening, and the change back to snow later in the night. The active pattern will continue for the rest of the forecast, but models differed on the timing and locations of additional snow changes. That's pretty typical of the southwest flow regime such as the one setting up across the area. Given that, did not make any significant changes to the extended forecast initialization grids based on a broad blend of model products. && .AVIATION...for 06Z TAF Issuance Issued at 1033 PM CST Thu Feb 23 2017 Snow and IFR ceilings and visibilities will arrive from southwest to northeast tonight. The precipitation may change to sleet or freezing rain at osh/mtw/grb/atw/sue/ocq/ezs between 12 and 18z Friday. Northeast winds will gust to 30 knots at sue/mtw/atw/osh/grb. Snow and drifting snow is likely across the entire region Friday night. && .GRB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Weather Advisory until 6 AM CST Saturday for WIZ031- 037>040-045-048>050. Winter Storm Warning until 6 AM CST Saturday for WIZ030-035-036. Winter Storm Warning from 3 AM Friday to 6 AM CST Saturday for WIZ005-010>012-018-019. Winter Weather Advisory from 3 AM Friday to 6 AM CST Saturday for WIZ013-020>022-073-074. && SYNOPSIS.......Skowronski SHORT TERM.....AK LONG TERM......Skowronski AVIATION.......RDM
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Green Bay WI 235 PM CST Thu Feb 23 2017 WIZ005-010>013-018>022-030-031-035>040-045-048>050-073-074-242045- 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- 235 PM CST Thu Feb 23 2017 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for north-central and northeast Wisconsin. .DAY ONE...Tonight Expect hazardous travel conditions to develop across central and east-central Wisconsin tonight as a band of snow pushes into the region from the southwest. The snow could reach the north late. Increasing northeast winds may create some blowing or drifting of the new snow, which could reduce visibilities to under one mile at times. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Thursday Hazardous travel conditions are likely to persist Friday and Friday night as precipitation continues across the region. The precipitation will be mainly snow across north-central Wisconsin, but could fall as a mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain across central through northeast Wisconsin. Some rain may also mix in near Lake Michigan. Another storm system may impact the area during the early part of the upcoming work week, but the timing and amount of snow produced by that system are highly uncertain this far in advance. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter are requested to report snowfall amounts or any mixed precipitation. LMZ521-522-541>543-242045- The Bay of Green Bay south of a line from Cedar River MI to Rock Island Passage-Lake Michigan from Washington Island to Sheboygan- 235 PM CST Thu Feb 23 2017 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of northwest Lake Michigan and the waters of Green Bay. .DAY ONE...Tonight Gale gusts from the northeast are expected late tonight. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Thursday There is a chance of gale force gusts Friday through Saturday as a strong system passes through the area. Kallas/Skowronski
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
11 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
A storm total snowfall of 10.2 inches was measured near Lac du Flambeau.
A storm total snowfall of 8.0 inches was measured near Goodnow.
A storm total snowfall of 8 inches was measured near Spread Eagle.
A storm total snowfall of 8.5 inches was measured at Summit Lake.
A storm total snowfall of 9.2 inches was measured near Mosinee.
A storm total snowfall of 8.0 inches was measured near Shawano.
A storm total snowfall of 9.1 inches was measured northwest of Big Falls.
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: 678538, 678539, 678540, 678541, 678551, 678552, 678557, 678558, 678559, 678560, 678561.