Wisconsin, 2020Winter Storm and Lakeshore Flood in Wisconsin, January 17 to 18, 2020
January 17 to 18, 2020 · NWS GRB · 3 events in 3 counties and zones
A strong low pressure system tracked from the central Plains through the western Great Lakes region, bringing 8 to 12 inches to portions of central and northeast Wisconsin. The snow fell in two rounds, the first Friday evening with gusty southeast winds and the second early Saturday morning.
Every event with a place to put it; 3 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
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 3
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.
A strong low pressure system tracked from the central Plains through the western Great Lakes region, bringing 8 to 12 inches to portions of central and northeast Wisconsin. The snow fell in two rounds, the first Friday evening with gusty southeast winds and the second early Saturday morning.
The strong southeast winds and record high lake levels also caused some flooding along Lake Michigan Saturday morning.
Some of the highest snowfall totals included 11.8 inches in Fish Creek (Door Co.), 10.0 inches in Gills Rock (Door Co.), 9.0 inches near Ephraim (Door Co.), and 8.2 inches in Clintonville (Waupaca 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 Jan 17, 2:39 PM CST, 2 hours 21 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Jan 17, 2:39 PM CST, 2 hours 21 minutes before
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</html>Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 17, 2:23 PM CST, 2 hours 37 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Jan 17, 4:50 PM CST, 10 minutes before
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</html>Winter Storm, Waupaca
- When
- January 17, 5:00 PM CST to January 18, 12:00 PM CST
- Where
- Waupaca forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 44.470, -88.965 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The highest snowfall totals across Waupaca County included 8.2 inches in Clintonville and 8.0 inches near Iola.
Winter Storm, Door
- When
- January 17, 7:00 PM CST to January 18, 3:00 PM CST
- Where
- Door forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 44.838, -87.358 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The highest snowfall totals across Door County included 11.8 inches in Fish Creek, 10.0 inches in Gills Rock, and 9.0 inches near Ephraim.
Lakeshore Flood, Kewaunee
- When
- January 18, 4:00 AM CST to 10:00 AM CST
- Where
- Kewaunee forecast zone
- Reported by
- Public
- Coordinates
- 44.483, -87.514 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Strong southeast winds and record high lake levels on Lake Michigan caused flooding at the Algoma Marina parking lot.
- Winter Storm
- A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.
- Lakeshore Flood
- Flooding along the shore of one of the Great Lakes or another large lake.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
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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: 865449, 865451, 871964.