Winter Storm — Menominee, Wisconsin

2009-12-08 to 2009-12-09 · Menominee, Wisconsin

Wider weather episode

One of the biggest winter storms in years pounded much of Wisconsin, including the northeast part of the state. Snow developed as low pressure rapidly deepened as it moved across Illinois into Lake Michigan. Strong winds in response to the deepening low created blowing snow and near blizzard conditions very early in the morning on the 9th across parts of northeast Wisconsin. Winds gusted to over 50 mph in Door County, and to 48 mph at the NWS Green Bay office. During the height of the storm, lightning and thunder were reported in the Green Bay area and in central Wisconsin.

The extremely wet and heavy snow combined with high winds to cause widespread tree damage and numerous power outages in northern Door County, mainly in the Baileys Harbor area and on Washington Island. Utility company reports indicated that about 12,000 customers, mostly in Door, Kewaunee and Marinette counties, lost power during the storm.

Widespread snowfalls of 8 to 16 inches were reported across much of northeast, east-central and central Wisconsin. Some of the highest totals included 16.5 inches in Allouez and Ledgeview (Brown Co.), 16.2 inches on Green Bay's east side (Brown Co.), 15.6 inches in Scandinavia (Waupaca Co.) and 15.5 inches at St. Nazianz (Manitowoc Co.). Officially, 14.7 inches fell in at the National Weather Service in Green Bay.

The 14.7 inches in Green Bay placed the storm in the top six biggest snowstorms in Green Bay weather history (observations since 1886), and was the biggest December snowstorm ever.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 201658. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.