A low-pressure system lifting northeast through northern Illinois brought a wintry mix of freezing rain and sleet to the region from the late evening on Friday (4/03) through the morning on Saturday (4/04). Around 1 inch of sleet fell across far north-central Wisconsin with one quarter of an inch of freezing rain accumulation across portions of central and north-central Wisconsin.
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.
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 GRB wrote it up.
A low-pressure system lifting northeast through northern Illinois brought a wintry mix of freezing rain and sleet to the region from the late evening on Friday (4/03) through the morning on Saturday (4/04). Around 1 inch of sleet fell across far north-central Wisconsin with one quarter of an inch of freezing rain accumulation across portions of central and north-central Wisconsin.
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 3, 6:21 PM CST, 2 hours 9 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Green Bay WI 721 PM CDT Fri Apr 3 2026 Updated aviation portion for 00Z TAF issuance .KEY MESSAGES... - Freezing rain and heavy rainfall are expected this evening through Saturday morning. Significant icing is expected across northern and portions of central Wisconsin. - Flooding concerns continue through early next week due to recent rainfall and the additional rainfall expected this evening through Saturday. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 112 PM CDT Fri Apr 3 2026 Ice Storm Through Saturday Morning: A 1007 mb low, analyzed over eastern Kansas around midday, will deepen as it lifts northeast towards southern Wisconsin tonight and over the northern Great Lakes Saturday. Abundant frontogenesis, in response to the TROWAL associated with this system and Theta-E advection, will combine with Gulf moisture to bring a slug of 0.6 to just over an inch of QPF to the region through Saturday morning. Although precipitation could start out as rain this evening, a Hudson Bay high will pump in dry air near the surface across central and north-central Wisconsin. This will mean precipitation will transition to freezing rain across north- central and portions of central Wisconsin as surface temperatures cool to the wet-bulb temperature. The freezing rain should then transition back to rain Saturday morning from south to north as surface temperatures slowly warm. Current NBM probabilities of exceeding 0.25" of freezing rain are still a solid 50-80% across the Ice Storm Warning area, with around a 10-15% chance of exceeding 0.50" of freezing rain. Therefore, there will be no changes to the headlines with this forecast issuance. In addition to the ice, some modest MUCAPEs of a few hundred J/kg could bring some elevated thunderstorms to the area at times tonight, with the best chances across central and east- central Wisconsin. Rest of the Forecast: The cold side of this departing low will bring some snow across central and north-central Wisconsin Saturday evening; however, by then the best moisture will be off to the east. Therefore, at most a few tenths of an inch of snow is possible Saturday night and mainly confined to north-central Wisconsin. A period of dry weather is then expected behind the system on Sunday as temperatures warm back into the 40s. A clipper system will then impact the region Sunday night into Monday; however, moisture will be limited so impacts from this system should be de minimis. There will be additional low pressure systems tracking through the area during the middle to late part of next week, which will bring rain or a mix of rain and snow at times. At this point it does not appear there will be a high impact winter system affecting the region during the middle to late part of next week as temperatures are a bit warmer. && .AVIATION...for 00Z TAF Issuance Issued at 721 PM CDT Fri Apr 3 2026 A mix of VFR/MVFR conditions early this evening, but expect a drop to primarily MVFR/IFR conditions over the next couple hours as lower cigs arrive from the west. Vsbys will also drop as heavier precipitation arrives from the W/SW. All precip is rain at the moment, but a transition to freezing rain is expected from north to south starting around 02Z. East-central TAF sites (KGRB, KATW, KMTW) will stay warm enough for all rain. Freezing rain transitions back to rain in central WI for a period Saturday morning, followed by a rain/snow mix into Saturday afternoon. There is also a small chance (~20%) of thunder in central and east-central WI this evening, but confidence at any one location is too low to include in TAFs. Will monitor thunder in southwest WI and updated as needed. East winds persist this evening and overnight, then shift to the west Saturday afternoon. Gusts of 20 to 25 knots will occur at times. && .HYDROLOGY... Issued at 112 PM CDT Fri Apr 3 2026 The combination of Thursday's rainfall and the progged system for this evening-Saturday will lead to flooding concerns. Thursday's rainfall was greatest across most of the area, except in north- central Wisconsin. For this evening-Saturday system, a widespread 0.75-1 inch of QPF is forecast. That being said, areas that received heavy rainfall from Thursday will be more susceptible to flooding in low-lying and poor drainage areas. Additionally, some rivers have already been responding to Thursday's rainfall: Oconto River is in minor flood stage and the Wolf River at Shiocton will soon be at minor flood stage, with several others at bankfull. A few river sites are also forecast to approach/reach minor flood stage this weekend or early next week. && .GRB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Ice Storm Warning until 10 AM CDT Saturday for WIZ005-010>013- 018-019. Ice Storm Warning until 7 AM CDT Saturday for WIZ020-021-030-031- 073. Winter Weather Advisory until 7 AM CDT Saturday for WIZ035>037- 074. && DISCUSSION.....Kurimski AVIATION.......KLJ HYDROLOGY......Kurimski
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Green Bay WI 256 PM CDT Fri Apr 3 2026 WIZ005-010>013-018>022-030-031-035>040-045-048>050-073-074-042000- Vilas-Oneida-Forest-Florence-Northern Marinette County-Lincoln- Langlade-Menominee-Northern Oconto County-Door-Marathon-Shawano- Wood-Portage-Waupaca-Outagamie-Brown-Kewaunee-Waushara-Winnebago- Calumet-Manitowoc-Southern Marinette County- Southern Oconto County- 256 PM CDT Fri Apr 3 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for north-central and northeast Wisconsin. .DAY ONE...Tonight Significant ice accumulations are expected across northern Wisconsin and portions of central Wisconsin tonight. Power outages, tree damage, and slippery or ice covered roads are possible, especially across northern Wisconsin. Ice Storm Warnings and Winter Weather Advisories have been issued. A few non-severe thunderstorms are possible this evening and tonight. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Friday Slippery or possible ice covered roads, power outages, and broken tree limbs are expected across northern Wisconsin Saturday morning as lingering freezing rain will produce additional minor ice accumulations. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters are requested to report freezing rain accumulations to the National Weather Service in Green Bay. LMZ521-522-541>543-042000- The Bay of Green Bay south of a line from Cedar River MI to Rock Island Passage-Lake Michigan from Washington Island to Sheboygan- 256 PM CDT Fri Apr 3 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of northwest Lake Michigan and the waters of Green Bay. .DAY ONE...Tonight Gusty east to northeast winds and high waves will create hazardous conditions for small craft on the lake and bay tonight. Small Craft Advisories are in effect. There is potential for thunderstorms tonight. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Friday Hazardous conditions to small craft are expected on the lake and bay at times from Saturday through Sunday. Small Craft Advisories are in effect. Kurimski
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
6 ice storm, 2 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
The highest ice total in Portage County was 0.25 inches in Polonia.
The highest ice total in Marathon County was 0.25 inches in Wausau. 0.3 inches of sleet was also measured.
The highest ice total in Florence County was 0.25 inches in Florence.
The highest ice total in northern Marinette County was 0.25 inches in Pembine as well as Athelstane.
The highest ice total in southern Oconto County was 0.25 inches in Suring.
The highest ice total in northern Oconto County was 0.3 inches in Townsend.
The highest sleet total in Vilas County was 1 inch in Eagle River.
The highest sleet total in Oneida County was 1 inch in Rhinelander. 0.20 inches of ice was also measured near Rhinelander.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Wisconsin in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Wisconsin, April 2026
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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1319367, 1319366, 1319363, 1319364, 1319365, 1330687, 1319361, 1319362.