Wisconsin, 2023

Heavy Snow in Wisconsin, March 11 to 13, 2023

March 11 to 13, 2023 · NWS DLH · 8 events in 8 counties and zones

A slow moving area of low pressure brought a long duration snowfall to much of the Northland starting the 11th and continuing into the 12th. Areas near the track of the low received around a foot of snow and then some, especially with terrain influence along the South Shore where upwards of 22 inches of snow were reported.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 8 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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
8

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 DLH wrote it up.

A slow moving area of low pressure brought a long duration snowfall to much of the Northland starting the 11th and continuing into the 12th. Areas near the track of the low received around a foot of snow and then some, especially with terrain influence along the South Shore where upwards of 22 inches of snow were reported.

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 Duluth, MN wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 11, 11:40 AM CST, 20 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 11, 11:40 AM CST, 20 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

8 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Washburn

When
March 11, 12:00 PM CST to March 13, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Washburn forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
45.899, -91.791 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snowfall totals of 6 to 10 inches were reported across the county with a high report of 11 inches near Minong.

Heavy Snow, Douglas

When
March 11, 1:00 PM CST to March 13, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Douglas forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
46.464, -91.899 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snowfall totals of 8 to 12 inches were reported across the county with a high report of 12.5 inches in Hawthorne.

Heavy Snow, Bayfield

When
March 11, 2:00 PM CST to March 13, 3:00 AM CST
Where
Bayfield forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
46.635, -91.181 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snowfall totals of 10 to 18 inches were reported across the county with a high report of 22 inches near Cornucopia.

Heavy Snow, Sawyer

When
March 11, 2:00 PM CST to March 12, 6:00 PM CST
Where
Sawyer forecast zone
Reported by
CoCoRaHS
Coordinates
45.880, -91.145 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snowfall totals of 3 to 6 inches were reported across the county with a high report of 8.4 inches near Hayward.

Heavy Snow, Ashland

When
March 11, 3:00 PM CST to March 13, 3:00 AM CST
Where
Ashland forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
46.510, -90.720 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snowfall totals of 8 to 10 inches were reported across the county with a high report of 12 inches in Ashland.

Heavy Snow, Price

When
March 11, 5:00 PM CST to March 12, 10:00 PM CST
Where
Price forecast zone
Reported by
CoCoRaHS
Coordinates
45.680, -90.361 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snowfall totals of 6 to 10 inches were reported across the county with a high report of 11.9 inches near Phillips.

Heavy Snow, Burnett

When
March 11, 11:00 PM CST to March 13, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Burnett forecast zone
Reported by
CoCoRaHS
Coordinates
45.863, -92.368 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snowfall totals of 6 to 12 inches were reported across the region with a high report of 12.5 inches near Grantsburg.

Heavy Snow, Iron

When
March 12, 11:00 AM CST to March 13, 7:00 AM CST
Where
Iron forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
46.317, -90.264 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snowfall totals of 2 to 6 inches were reported across the county with a high report of 7.9 inches in Gile.

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 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in Wisconsin, March 2023

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: 1085552, 1085547, 1085548, 1085554, 1085549, 1085553, 1085551, 1085550.