Low pressure tracked through southern and eastern Wisconsin during the early morning hours on Friday (2/20). Precipitation started out as rain late Thursday (2/19) night, then transitioned to snow early Friday (2/20) morning.
Every event with a place to put it; 2 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.
Low pressure tracked through southern and eastern Wisconsin during the early morning hours on Friday (2/20). Precipitation started out as rain late Thursday (2/19) night, then transitioned to snow early Friday (2/20) morning. A swath of 6 to 8 inches fell in a narrow band across Wood and Portage Counties along with gusty northwest winds up to 30 mph Friday (2/20) morning.
Some of the highest snowfall amounts were 8.8 inches in Vesper (Wood Co.), 6.8 inches in Rudolph (Portage Co.), 6.6 inches in Stevens Point (Portage Co.), and 6.5 inches in Wisconsin Rapids (Wood Co.).
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 Feb 19, 9:54 PM CST, 5 hours 36 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Green Bay WI 954 PM CST Thu Feb 19 2026 Updated aviation portion for 06Z TAF issuance .KEY MESSAGES... - Confidence has increased in a band of 3 to 6 inches of snow and sleet extending from central into far northeast WI from midnight through noon Friday. A Winter Weather Advisory has been issued for this area. Hazardous travel conditions are likely, including during the Friday morning commute. - Periodic light snow continues through the weekend, followed by dry conditions early next week, then a mix of light rain/snow during the middle of next week. - Above normal temperatures return to near normal early next week, then climb above normal again during the middle of next week. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 255 PM CST Thu Feb 19 2026 Low stratus covered the northwest part of the forecast area this afternoon, while abundant sunshine was observed farther southeast. Temperatures ranged from around 30 far northwest to the lower to middle 40s southeast. Strong low pressure over northern MO (developing in the LFQ of a 150 kt jet streak) was lifting northeast toward the Great Lakes. This system will bring a swath significant precipitation to the forecast area tonight into Friday. The low pressure system is expected to reach far SE WI late tonight, then track through central Lake Michigan into northern Lower Michigan on Friday. Strong dynamics and abundant moisture will lead to a half inch to an inch of QPF over the southeast CWA, with lesser amounts farther northwest. Where this heavier QPF interacts with colder surface temperatures, there will be potential for significant snow/sleet accumulations. Here are the main points that impact this forecast: - Models have come into better agreement on a swath of snow and sleet impacting areas from Central WI into far NE WI late tonight through Friday morning. Snowfall totals of 3 to 6 inches are expected in this area, and a Winter Weather Advisory has been issued. - Have backed off on model-generated freezing rain and ice accumulations, as the warm layer aloft that overlays sub- freezing surface temperatures is weak (+2 C or less), which is more supportive of sleet. Any freezing rain potential would then need to develop in association with mid-level drying (and loss of ice crystals in the saturated layer), but no clear-cut dry slotting is expected to occur over the headline area, so have discounted this potential. Have focused more on sleet potential and removed most, if not all, of the freezing rain from the forecast. - Above freezing surface temperatures and warmer air aloft will keep most of the precipitation as rain over the Fox Valley, bayshore and lakeshore areas, with a changeover to mixed rain/snow as the precipitation is tapering off Friday morning. Minimal snow accumulation is expected in these areas. Periodic light snow will continue over mainly the northeast half of the forecast area through the weekend, with minimal accumulations. A dry period is expected during the early part of the next work week, followed by a clipper-type low pressure system with mixed rain/snow during the middle of next week. Temperatures will remain a little above normal through the weekend, drop back to normal early next week, then rise above normal again during the middle of next week. && .AVIATION...for 06Z TAF Issuance Issued at 938 PM CST Thu Feb 19 2026 Light rain has arrived to east-central Wisconsin late this evening, and will continue to spread north overnight. Light snow will likely reach the central Wisconsin terminals within an hour or two of this TAF issuance. Periods of light to moderate snow then continue over the western TAF sites through Friday, with vsby reductions to IFR possible within heavier snow. Rain then transitions to a rain/snow mix or sleet by late Friday morning for GRB, ATW, and MTW as low pressure passes to our south. Improvement to MVFR, and even VFR, conditions will be possible late Friday afternoon as precip departs to the north. Light winds will be out of the northeast overnight, increasing and backing to northwesterly by late Friday morning. Surface gusts to 30 knots will be possible late Friday morning through Friday evening. && .GRB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Weather Advisory until noon CST Friday for WIZ011>013- 019>021-030-031-035>037-045. && DISCUSSION.....Kieckbusch AVIATION.......Goodin
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Green Bay WI 207 PM CST Thu Feb 19 2026 WIZ005-010>013-018>022-030-031-035>040-045-048>050-073-074-202015- 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- 207 PM CST Thu Feb 19 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for north-central and northeast Wisconsin. .DAY ONE...Tonight Hazardous travel due to snow and sleet is likely late tonight from central into far northeast Wisconsin, northwest of the Fox Valley and bayshore areas. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Thursday Hazardous travel due to snow is likely through midday Friday from central into far northeast Wisconsin, northwest of the Fox Valley and bayshore areas. A band of 3 to 6 inches of snow is expected. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters are requested to forward snow measurements to the National Weather Service in Green Bay. LMZ521-522-541>543-202015- The Bay of Green Bay south of a line from Cedar River MI to Rock Island Passage-Lake Michigan from Washington Island to Sheboygan- 207 PM CST Thu Feb 19 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of northwest Lake Michigan and the waters of Green Bay. .DAY ONE...Tonight The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Thursday The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. Kieckbusch
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Green Bay WI 1241 AM CST Fri Feb 20 2026 WIZ038>040-048>050-200945- Outagamie-Brown-Kewaunee-Winnebago-Calumet-Manitowoc- 1241 AM CST Fri Feb 20 2026 ...PATCHY FREEZING RAIN EARLY THIS MORNING... Rain and patchy freezing rain are occurring across eastern Wisconsin early this morning as temperatures hover around freezing. A light coating of ice has been observed on elevated surfaces, but thus far roads are staying wet. Though isolated in coverage, untreated roads could still have some slick spots on them, so use caution if traveling early this morning. Temperatures are expected to slowly warm the rest of the night, diminishing any threat of icing. JLA
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
The highest snowfall totals across Wood County included 8.8 inches in Vesper and 6.5 inches in Wisconsin Rapids.
The highest snowfall totals across Portage County included 6.8 inches near Rudolph and 6.6 inches in Stevens Point.
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, February 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: 1306282, 1306684.