Wisconsin, 2018

Heavy Snow in Wisconsin, March 30 to 31, 2018

March 30 to 31, 2018 · NWS GRB · 11 events in 11 counties and zones

A strong low pressure system and an upper level disturbance combined to produce heavy snow. Six to nine inches of heavy, wet snow, with locally higher amounts, fell across northern and parts of central Wisconsin in about 12 hours.

Where it happened

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.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
11

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 GRB wrote it up.

A strong low pressure system and an upper level disturbance combined to produce heavy snow. Six to nine inches of heavy, wet snow, with locally higher amounts, fell across northern and parts of central Wisconsin in about 12 hours. The highest snowfall totals were mainly in far northern Wisconsin, near the Michigan border, where isolated locations picked up around 11 inches of new snow.

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 Green Bay, WI wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 30, 9:33 PM CST, 1 hour 27 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 30, 9:33 PM CST, 1 hour 27 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 30, 2:25 PM CST, 8 hours 35 minutes before
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In the hours before

Local storm report, Mar 30, 6:13 PM CST, 4 hours 47 minutes before
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Local storm report, Mar 30, 6:29 PM CST, 4 hours 31 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

11 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Oneida

When
March 30, 11:00 PM CST to March 31, 11:00 AM CST
Where
Oneida forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
45.706, -89.522 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The highest snowfall total in Oneida County was 9.0 inches near Minocqua. There were several other reports in the 7.5 to 8.5 inch range at various other locations across the county.

Heavy Snow, Lincoln

When
March 30, 11:00 PM CST to March 31, 11:00 AM CST
Where
Lincoln forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
45.338, -89.735 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

More than 7 inches of snow fell across much of Lincoln County.

Heavy Snow, Forest

When
March 30, 11:00 PM CST to March 31, 11:00 AM CST
Where
Forest forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
45.667, -88.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

At least 8 inches of snow fell across parts of Forest County.

Heavy Snow, Florence

When
March 30, 11:00 PM CST to March 31, 11:00 AM CST
Where
Florence forecast zone
Reported by
CoCoRaHS
Coordinates
45.848, -88.398 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The highest snowfall totals in Florence County included 8.0 inches at Spread Eagle, and 7.0 inches near Aurora.

Heavy Snow, Northern Marinette

When
March 30, 11:00 PM CST to March 31, 11:00 AM CST
Where
Northern Marinette forecast zone
Reported by
Social Media
Coordinates
45.351, -88.002 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The highest snowfall total reported in northern Marinette County was 6.0 inches in Niagara.

Heavy Snow, Southern Marinette

When
March 30, 11:00 PM CST to March 31, 11:00 AM CST
Where
Southern Marinette forecast zone
Reported by
Social Media
Coordinates
45.351, -88.002 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The highest snowfall total reported in southern Marinette County was 6.8 inches northwest of Crivitz.

Heavy Snow, Northern Oconto

When
March 30, 11:00 PM CST to March 31, 11:00 AM CST
Where
Northern Oconto forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
44.999, -88.221 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The highest snowfall total reported in northern Oconto County was 7.3 inches in Mountain.

Heavy Snow, Langlade

When
March 30, 11:00 PM CST to March 31, 11:00 AM CST
Where
Langlade forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
45.262, -89.072 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

At least 8 inches of snow fell across parts of Langlade County.

Heavy Snow, Menominee

When
March 30, 11:00 PM CST to March 31, 11:00 AM CST
Where
Menominee forecast zone
Reported by
Unknown
Coordinates
45.004, -88.710 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy snow fell in Menominee County.

Heavy Snow, Marathon

When
March 30, 11:00 PM CST to March 31, 11:00 AM CST
Where
Marathon forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
44.898, -89.759 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The highest snowfall total reported in Marathon County was 6.2 inches in Wausau.

Heavy Snow, Vilas

When
March 30, 11:00 PM CST to March 31, 11:00 AM CST
Where
Vilas forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
46.053, -89.515 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The highest snowfall totals in Vilas County included 11.0 inches at Lac du Flambeau, 7.5 inches at Eagle River, and 6.0 inches at Manitowish Waters.

What these are

Heavy Snow
Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Wisconsin in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in Wisconsin, March 2018

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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 739153, 739154, 739155, 739156, 739157, 739158, 739159, 739160, 739161, 739162, 739163.