A strong winter storm moved across the Upper Midwest on January 17th and 18th. The storm generally dropped 3 to 6 inches of snow across the area followed by a light coating of ice from freezing drizzle.
Every event with a place to put it; 4 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 ARX wrote it up.
A strong winter storm moved across the Upper Midwest on January 17th and 18th. The storm generally dropped 3 to 6 inches of snow across the area followed by a light coating of ice from freezing drizzle. Despite the snow becoming ice crusted, wind gusts of 35 to 45 mph broke up the ice and snow, producing some blowing and drifting snow from the morning of the 18th through much of the afternoon. The highest reported snowfall amount was 8 inches near Owen (Clark County).
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 La Crosse, WI wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 17, 2:43 PM CST, 2 minutes earlier.
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</html>Hazardous Weather Outlook...CORRECTION National Weather Service La Crosse WI 437 AM CST Fri Jan 17 2020 IAZ008>010-018-019-029-030-MNZ079-086>088-094-095-181200- Mitchell-Howard-Winneshiek-Floyd-Chickasaw-Fayette-Clayton- Wabasha-Dodge-Olmsted-Winona-Mower-Fillmore- 437 AM CST Fri Jan 17 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of north central Iowa...northeast Iowa and southeast Minnesota. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight A Winter Storm Warning is in effect from late this morning into tonight. Accumulating snow will move into the area during the late morning and early afternoon. There may be some patchy blowing snow. The snow will then transition to a wintry mix of snow and freezing rain tonight. Snow accumulations of 4 to 6 inches from this afternoon through tonight. Ice accumulations for tonight will be up to a tenth of an inch. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday A Winter Storm Warning continues through Saturday. Additional snowfall will be up to a half inch on Saturday morning. Strong northwest winds gusting to around 45 mph on Saturday will lead to blowing and drifting snow in open areas with significant visibility reductions possible. Wind chills of 25 to 35 below are expected on Sunday morning and 15 to 25 below Monday morning. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Snow and ice reports would be appreciated. .EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATION... No webinar is scheduled. WIZ017-029-032>034-181200- Taylor-Clark-Buffalo-Trempealeau-Jackson- 437 AM CST Fri Jan 17 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central Wisconsin...north central Wisconsin and west central Wisconsin. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight A Winter Storm Warning is in effect for this afternoon and tonight. Accumulating snow will move into the area during the afternoon. The snow will then transition to a wintry mix of snow and freezing rain tonight. Snow accumulations of 4 to 6 inches from this afternoon through tonight. Ice accumulations for tonight will be up to a tenth of an inch. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday A Winter Storm Warning continues through Saturday. Additional snowfall will be up to 2 inches on Saturday. Strong northwest winds gusting to around 40 mph on Saturday will lead to some blowing and drifting snow. Some reductions in visibility may occur. Wind chills of 15 to 25 below are expected on Sunday and Monday mornings. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Snow and ice reports would be appreciated. .EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATION... No webinar is scheduled. IAZ011-MNZ096-WIZ041>044-053>055-061-181200- Allamakee-Houston-La Crosse-Monroe-Juneau-Adams-Vernon-Crawford- Richland-Grant- 437 AM CST Fri Jan 17 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of northeast Iowa...southeast Minnesota...central Wisconsin...southwest Wisconsin and west central Wisconsin. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for this afternoon and tonight. Accumulating snow will move into the area during the afternoon. The snow will then transition to a wintry mix of snow and freezing rain tonight. Snow accumulations of 3 to 4 inches from this afternoon through tonight. Ice accumulations for tonight will be around a tenth of an inch. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday A Winter Weather Advisory continues through Saturday. Additional snowfall will be up to an inch on Saturday. Strong northwest winds gusting to around 40 mph on Saturday will lead to some blowing and drifting snow. Some reductions in visibility may occur. Wind chills of 15 to 25 below are expected on Sunday and Monday mornings. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Snow and ice reports would be appreciated. .EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATION... No webinar is scheduled. Boyne nofwd
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</html>The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
COOP and volunteer snow observers reported that 3 to 5 inches of snow fell across Buffalo County. A period of freezing drizzle created a coating of ice on top of the snow. Some blowing and drifting snow occurring during the morning and afternoon of the 18th with wind gusts of 30 to 40 mph.
COOP and volunteer snow observers reported that 3 to 8 inches of snow fell across Clark County. A period of freezing drizzle created a coating of ice on top of the snow. Some blowing and drifting snow occurring during the morning and afternoon of the 18th with wind gusts of 30 to 40 mph. The highest reported total was 8 inches near Owen.
COOP and volunteer snow observers reported that 3 to 6 inches of snow fell across Trempealeau County. A period of freezing drizzle created a coating of ice on top of the snow. Some blowing and drifting snow occurring during the morning and afternoon of the 18th with wind gusts of 30 to 40 mph. The highest reported total was 6 inches near Independence.
COOP and volunteer snow observers reported that 3 to 5 inches of snow fell across Taylor County. A period of freezing drizzle created a coating of ice on top of the snow. Some blowing and drifting snow occurring during the morning and afternoon of the 18th with wind gusts of 30 to 40 mph. The highest reported total was 5.5 inches near Medford.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Wisconsin in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Wisconsin, January 2020
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: 871378, 871379, 871381, 871380.