Winter Weather hits Wisconsin

MADISON, Wis. (CIVIC MEDIA) – Blustery and brutal as the temperatures shift and snow paints the state’s landscape for the first time this season.

Winter weather marked her territory across the Midwest this week. Many of us in Wisconsin, Michigan’s U.P., and even into Illinois experienced the first snowfall of the 2024/25 season.

Areas in the Fox Valley and lakeshore picked up the most wet white stuff. Coming down heavy at times and dropping visibility drastically. Totals piled up for most areas around 2-5″!

However, in Slinger and Beaver Dam — reports hit a high of 6.8″!

Winter Weather Advisories were issued alongside Wind Advisories. Waves crashed along the shores of the Great Lakes at heights reaching 12 feet. Pushing Gale Warnings into effect.

Lake enhancement was the main player in snow piles, as the colder air rushed over the warmer waters. Winds were clocked gusting up to 46 mph in Door counties Gills Rock. Even inland, gusts were vicious as the low pressure system slid south along Lake Michigan.

Flipping to rain through the afternoon, most of it will melt.

The storm was much needed, with 46% of the state still in a drought. This will help areas in the southeast the most, where severe drought lingers in Janesville and moderate conditions extend into Milwaukee. However, this leaves far northern parts of the state still in a severe drought as they are missing out on some of the heavier totals this round.

Temperatures overnight will mostly stay above freezing, thankfully.

But beware of slick spots on bridges and ramps still. Those freeze first with the air flowing underneath it.

It is Winter Weather Awareness Week in Wisconsin and this storm was a good reminder to get an emergency kit ready.

In VEHICLE:

• Extra gloves, hat, hand warmers
• Cat litter or sand (traction)
• Shovel (collapsible sold to save space)
• Sleeping bag or blankets (warmth if car breaks down/crashes)
• Tool kit (fix flats or mechanical issues on side of road in cold)
• Ice scraper

At HOME:

• Extra batteries
• Flashlight / Candles
• Power bank / generator

Tomorrow, more clouds will linger and winds stay feisty. They will ease as we move into the weekend.

Saturday the sunshine returns! But by Sunday the clouds take over again, as another smaller system swipes. It’ll bring light rain showers first, by Sunday night and light snow to the north as we are waking up on Monday. As of now, rain and snow accumulations look light.