Wisconsin, 2020

Winter Storm in Wisconsin, April 12 to 13, 2020

April 12 to 13, 2020 · NWS GRB · 14 events in 14 counties and zones

A strong late season storm system brought significant snow, sleet and gusty winds to northeast Wisconsin from the late morning of April 12 through the early morning hours of April 13. The wet, heavy snow and strong winds produced some isolated power outages across north-central Wisconsin.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 14 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
14

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 late season storm system brought significant snow, sleet and gusty winds to northeast Wisconsin from the late morning of April 12 through the early morning hours of April 13. The wet, heavy snow and strong winds produced some isolated power outages across north-central Wisconsin. A heavy band of snow from 6 to 15 inches fell north of a Marshfield to Wausaukee line with lighter amounts to the south.

Some of the higher snowfall totals included 15.0 inches in Spread Eagle (Florence Co.), 13.0 inches in Gleason (Lincoln Co.), 12.8 inches in Pelican Lake (Oneida Co.), 12.5 inches near Merrill (Lincoln Co.) as well as Argonne (Forest Co.), 11.8 inches near Amberg (Marinette Co.), and 10.0 inches in Lac Vieux Desert (Vilas Co.).

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 Apr 12, 5:12 AM CST, 3 hours 48 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 12, 5:12 AM CST, 3 hours 48 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 12, 3:07 AM CST, 5 hours 53 minutes before
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In the hours before

Special weather statement, Apr 12, 5:58 AM CST, 3 hours 2 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

14 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Vilas

When
April 12, 9:00 AM CST to April 13, 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 across Vilas County included 10.0 inches in Lac Vieux Desert, 9.4 inches near Land O' Lakes, 9.2 inches in Presque Isle, and 8.7 inches in Eagle River.

Winter Storm, Oneida

When
April 12, 9:00 AM CST to April 13, 6:00 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 snowfall totals across Oneida County included 12.8 inches in Pelican Lake, 11.5 inches in Monico, 9.8 inches north of Tomahawk, 9.0 inches in Enterprise, and 8.0 inches near Rhinelander.

Winter Storm, Lincoln

When
April 12, 9:00 AM CST to April 13, 6:00 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 totals across Lincoln County included 13.0 inches in Gleason, 12.5 inches near Merrill, and 8.0 inches in Heafford Junction.

Winter Storm, Forest

When
April 12, 9:00 AM CST to April 13, 6:00 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 snowfall totals across Forest County included 12.5 inches in Argonne and 10.3 inches northwest of Argonne.

Winter Storm, Florence

When
April 12, 9:00 AM CST to April 13, 6:00 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 snowfall totals across Florence County included 15.0 inches in Spread Eagle, 11.6 inches in Florence, and 11.2 inches in Aurora.

Winter Storm, Langlade

When
April 12, 9:00 AM CST to April 13, 6:00 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 snowfall total across Langlade County was 9.5 inches in Summit Lake.

Winter Storm, Marathon

When
April 12, 9:00 AM CST to April 13, 6:00 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 snowfall total across Marathon County was 6.0 inches in Stratford.

Winter Storm, Northern Marinette

When
April 12, 9:00 AM CST to April 13, 6:00 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 snowfall totals across northern Marinette County included 11.8 inches near Amberg, 9.0 inches in Wausaukee, and 8.5 inches near Athelstane.

Winter Storm, Wood

When
April 12, 9:00 AM CST to April 13, 6:00 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 snowfall total in Wood County was 4.6 inches in Marshfield. Sleet with icing amounts less than one tenth of an inch fell before changing over to all snow. Although snow totals were not as high as many locations, gusty north to northwest winds caused blowing snow.

Winter Storm, Shawano

When
April 12, 12:00 PM CST to April 13, 6:00 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 snowfall total in Shawano County was 6.0 inches in Bowler. Sleet with icing amounts less than one tenth of an inch fell before changing over to all snow.

Winter Storm, Menominee

When
April 12, 12:00 PM CST to April 13, 6:00 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 on the 12th and 13th. Sleet with icing amounts less than one tenth of an inch fell before changing over to all snow.

Winter Storm, Northern Oconto

When
April 12, 12:00 PM CST to April 13, 6:00 AM CST
Where
Northern Oconto forecast zone
Reported by
Unknown
Coordinates
44.999, -88.221 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy snow fell on the 12th and 13th. Sleet with icing amounts less than one tenth of an inch fell before changing over to all snow.

Winter Storm, Southern Marinette

When
April 12, 12:00 PM CST to April 13, 6:00 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 snowfall total in southern Marinette County was 8.0 inches in Crivitz.

Winter Storm, Portage

When
April 12, 12:00 PM CST to April 13, 6:00 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 snowfall total in Portage County was 5.2 inches in Rosholt. Sleet with icing amounts less than one tenth of an inch fell before changing over to all snow. Although snow totals were not as high as many locations, gusty north to northwest winds caused blowing snow.

What these are

Winter Storm
A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Wisconsin in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Wisconsin, April 2020

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 876100, 876102, 876105, 876106, 876107, 876109, 876111, 876114, 876160, 876120, 876121, 876124, 876131, 876152.