Wisconsin, 2019

Heavy Snow in Wisconsin, February 12 to 13, 2019

February 12 to 13, 2019 · NWS GRB · 24 events in 24 counties and zones

A low pressure system that passed south of Wisconsin combined with an upper level disturbance to produce heavy snow across much of the state. ).

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 24 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
24

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 low pressure system that passed south of Wisconsin combined with an upper level disturbance to produce heavy snow across much of the state. Many locations in the area set new daily snowfall records for February 12th including Green Bay (Brown Co.), Merrill (Lincoln Co.), Appleton (Outagamie Co.), Sturgeon Bay (Door Co.), Rhinelander (Oneida Co.), Marshfield (Wood Co.), Wausau (Marathon Co.), and Wisconsin Rapids (Wood Co.).

The highest snowfall totals included: 16.0 inches in Minocqua (Oneida Co.), in Hazelhurst (Oneida Co.), and near Spread Eagle (Florence Co.); 15.7 inches in Wausau; 15.5 inches near Pella (Shawano Co.) and near Rib Mountain; 15.4 inches in New London (Outagamie Co.) and Wisconsin Rapids; and 15.0 inches in Florence (Florence Co.), in Plover (Portage Co.), and near Dancy (Marathon Co.).

The 15.7 inches of snow that fell at Wausau broke their record for the most snowfall from a single storm during the month of February. The old record was 13.5 inches, set in 2011.

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 Feb 11, 5:49 PM CST, 6 hours 11 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 11, 5:49 PM CST, 6 hours 11 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 11, 3:16 PM CST, 8 hours 44 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

24 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Vilas

When
February 12, 12:00 AM CST to February 13, 12:00 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 recorded snowfall totals in Vilas County were 14.0 inches at Lac Vieux Desert, 12.0 inches in Eagle River, and 11.1 inches near Boulder Junction.

Heavy Snow, Oneida

When
February 12, 12:00 AM CST to February 13, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Oneida forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
45.706, -89.522 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The highest recorded snowfall totals in Oneida County were 16.0 inches in both Minocqua and Hazelhurst, and 14.9 inches in Rhinelander.

Heavy Snow, Forest

When
February 12, 12:00 AM CST to February 13, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Forest forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
45.667, -88.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The highest recorded snowfall totals in Forest County were 14.5 inches in Crandon and 14.1 inches near Argonne.

Heavy Snow, Florence

When
February 12, 12:00 AM CST to February 13, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Florence forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
45.848, -88.398 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The highest recorded snowfall totals in Florence County were 16.0 inches near Spread Eagle, and 15.0 inches in Florence.

Heavy Snow, Northern Marinette

When
February 12, 12:00 AM CST to February 13, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Northern Marinette forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
45.351, -88.002 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The highest recorded snowfall totals in northern Marinette County were 12.6 inches at Wausaukee, and 8.5 inches near Amberg.

Heavy Snow, Lincoln

When
February 12, 12:00 AM CST to February 13, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Lincoln forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
45.338, -89.735 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The highest recorded snowfall totals in Lincoln County were 12.8 inches west of Merrill, and 12.7 inches at Rice Reservoir Number 2.

Heavy Snow, Langlade

When
February 12, 12:00 AM CST to February 13, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Langlade forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
45.262, -89.072 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The highest recorded snowfall total in Langlade County was 11.2 inches at Summit Lake.

Heavy Snow, Northern Oconto

When
February 12, 12:00 AM CST to February 13, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Northern Oconto forecast zone
Reported by
CoCoRaHS
Coordinates
44.999, -88.221 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The highest recorded snowfall total in northern Oconto County was 11.6 inches near Mountain.

Heavy Snow, Southern Marinette

When
February 12, 12:00 AM CST to February 13, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Southern Marinette forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
45.351, -88.002 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The highest recorded snowfall total in southern Marinette County was 12.0 inches at High Falls Reservoir.

Heavy Snow, Southern Oconto

When
February 12, 12:00 AM CST to February 13, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Southern Oconto forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
44.999, -88.221 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The highest recorded snowfall total in southern Oconto County was 13.0 inches near Oconto.

Heavy Snow, Door

When
February 12, 12:00 AM CST to February 13, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Door forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
44.838, -87.358 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The highest recorded snowfall totals in Door County were 13.9 inches on Washington Island, and 10.0 inches around Fish Creek and Sister Bay.

Heavy Snow, Brown

When
February 12, 12:00 AM CST to February 13, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Brown forecast zone
Reported by
Official NWS Observations
Coordinates
44.474, -87.993 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The highest recorded snowfall totals in Brown County were 8.8 inches in Green Bay and 6.8 inches in Wrightstown.

Heavy Snow, Marathon

When
February 12, 12:00 AM CST to February 13, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Marathon forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
44.898, -89.759 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The highest recorded snowfall totals in Marathon County were 15.7 inches in Wausau, 15.5 inches near Rib Mountain, and 15.0 inches near Dancy.

Heavy Snow, Wood

When
February 12, 12:00 AM CST to February 13, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Wood forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
44.455, -90.042 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The highest recorded snowfall totals in Wood County were 15.4 inches in Wisconsin Rapids and 12.0 inches in Pittsville.

Heavy Snow, Portage

When
February 12, 12:00 AM CST to February 13, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Portage forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
44.476, -89.501 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The highest recorded snowfall totals in Portage County were 15.0 inches in Plover, 14.8 inches near Rudolph, and 13.3 inches near Amherst.

Heavy Snow, Waupaca

When
February 12, 12:00 AM CST to February 13, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Waupaca forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
44.470, -88.965 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The highest recorded snowfall totals in Waupaca County were 14.8 inches in Waupaca and 14.0 inches in New London.

Heavy Snow, Waushara

When
February 12, 12:00 AM CST to February 13, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Waushara forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
44.113, -89.243 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The highest recorded snowfall totals in Waushara County were 13.5 inches near Poy Sippi and 12.8 inches in Wautoma.

Heavy Snow, Menominee

When
February 12, 12:00 AM CST to February 13, 12:00 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, Shawano

When
February 12, 12:00 AM CST to February 13, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Shawano forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
44.789, -88.765 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The highest recorded snowfall totals in Shawano County were 15.5 inches near Pella, 11.5 inches near Shawano, and 11.3 inches near Split Rock.

Heavy Snow, Outagamie

When
February 12, 12:00 AM CST to February 13, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Outagamie forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
44.416, -88.465 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The highest recorded snowfall totals in Outagamie County were 15.4 inches in New London and 10.2 inches in Appleton.

Heavy Snow, Kewaunee

When
February 12, 12:00 AM CST to February 13, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Kewaunee forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
44.483, -87.514 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The highest recorded snowfall total in Kewaunee County was 11.7 inches in Kewaunee.

Heavy Snow, Winnebago

When
February 12, 12:00 AM CST to February 13, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Winnebago forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
44.069, -88.645 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The highest recorded snowfall totals in Winnebago County were 9.0 inches at Oshkosh and at Neenah.

Heavy Snow, Calumet

When
February 12, 12:00 AM CST to February 13, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Calumet forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
44.082, -88.218 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The highest recorded snowfall totals in Calumet County were 12.0 inches in Brillion, and 8.1 inches near Darboy and in New Holstein.

Heavy Snow, Manitowoc

When
February 12, 12:00 AM CST to February 13, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Manitowoc forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
44.091, -87.700 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The highest recorded snowfall totals in Manitowoc County were 10.3 inches in Manitowoc, and 10.0 inches near Two Rivers.

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 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in Wisconsin, February 2019

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 808804, 808805, 808806, 808807, 808808, 808809, 808810, 808811, 808812, 808813, 808814, 808815, 808816, 808817, 808818, 808819, 808820, 808821, 808822, 808823, 808824, 808825, 808826, 808828.