Wisconsin's Snowiest Day Ever: Schools Closed, I-94 Shut Down

MILWAUKEE, WI — Only a few centenarians may remember April 15, 1921, the day it snowed 76 inches in Boulder County, Colorado. Snowfall records for a single day aren’t quite as impressive in Wisconsin, according to an analysis of government weather data — but if you remembered the great blizzard of 2011, you've probably seen enough.

On Feb. 11, 26 inches of snow fell in Walworth County. Kenosha and Racine Counties saw 24 inches of snow, and Milwaukee County saw 22 inches.

Schools and area business shut down. Police and fire departments struggled to help people during emergencies. I-43 and I-94 were shut down from Milwaukee to the Illinois border because of the drifting snow.

The blizzard is remembered by a few different names, including: "The Groundhogs Day Blizzard,""The Super Bowl Blizzard" or "Snowmageddon."

In many parts of Wisconsin, the biggest one-day snowfall came in February 2011.

That compares to records in neighboring counties:

26.0" — Iron County — March 13, 2006
26.0" — Walworth County — February 2, 2011
24.0" — Brown County — March 1, 1888
24.0" — Bayfield County — February 28, 1893
24.0" — Washburn County — March 13, 1899
24.0" — Taylor County — December 28, 1904
24.0" — Price County — March 25, 1996
24.0" — Shawano County — March 14, 1997
24.0" — Kenosha County — February 2, 2011
24.0" — Racine County — February 2, 2011
23.0" — Ashland County — December 23, 2013
22.0" — St. Croix County — January 21, 1917
22.0" — Polk County — November 1, 1991
22.0" — Vilas County — March 25, 1996
22.0" — Sawyer County — March 13, 2006
22.0" — Chippewa County — December 11, 2010
22.0" — Milwaukee County — February 2, 2011
21.2" — Lincoln County — January 6, 1929
21.0" — Langlade County — March 6, 1959
21.0" — Douglas County — December 28, 1982
21.0" — Wood County — March 14, 1997
21.0" — Green Lake County — January 2, 1999
20.0" — Clark County — December 28, 1904
20.0" — Dunn County — January 3, 1906
20.0" — Sheboygan County — January 5, 1910
20.0" — Waukesha County — January 6, 1918
20.0" — Florence County — April 7, 1923
20.0" — Trempealeau County — December 7, 1927
20.0" — Oneida County — February 21, 1937
20.0" — Marathon County — March 6, 1959
20.0" — Oconto County — March 6, 1959
20.0" — Jackson County — March 19, 2005
20.0" — Pierce County — December 12, 2010
19.0" — Jefferson County — January 16, 1897
19.0" — Sauk County — January 1, 1942
19.0" — Eau Claire County — December 11, 2010
18.9" — Dane County — December 9, 2009
18.7" — Columbia County — February 3, 2011
18.4" — Grant County — December 3, 1990
18.0" — Pepin County — February 27, 1893
18.0" — Forest County — March 5, 1897
18.0" — Ozaukee County — February 19, 1898
18.0" — Portage County — January 21, 1917
18.0" — Waushara County — February 22, 1928
18.0" — Monroe County — January 4, 1971
18.0" — Barron County — November 30, 1991
17.0" — Waupaca County — March 22, 1955
17.0" — Door County — January 7, 1967
17.0" — Marinette County — January 4, 1971
17.0" — Burnett County — November 1, 1991
17.0" — Vernon County — March 13, 1997
17.0" — Outagamie County — March 14, 1997
16.7" — La Crosse County — December 7, 1927
16.1" — Dodge County — December 9, 2009
16.0" — Calumet County — November 5, 1896
16.0" — Washington County — November 5, 1896
16.0" — Lafayette County — February 26, 1912
16.0" — Buffalo County — January 21, 1917
16.0" — Crawford County — March 6, 1959
16.0" — Manitowoc County — March 6, 1959
16.0" — Iowa County — January 4, 1971
16.0" — Juneau County — December 1, 1985
16.0" — Rusk County — December 11, 2010
15.2" — Kewaunee County — March 14, 1997
15.0" — Rock County — March 31, 1926
15.0" — Richland County — March 28, 1931
15.0" — Green County — February 7, 2008
14.4" — Adams County — December 12, 2010
14.0" — Fond du Lac County — December 3, 1990
14.0" — Marquette County — January 27, 1996
13.0" — Winnebago County — December 13, 1909
-- — Menominee County — --

Historical weather data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows every state in the country, even tropical Hawaii, has seen snow. A February 1936 storm that dumped 6½ inches of snow on Maui was impressive even by Midwest and Northeast standards. The only other time that Hawaii had an extreme snowfall was in December 1958, when the Big Island got 4½ inches.

With two months of winter left, there are plenty of chances to break those records. The Old Farmer’s Almanac predicted a cold, snowy winter throughout much of the United States, with at least seven big snowstorms from one coast to the other.

In Wisconsin, the Old Farmer's Almanac, which is not to be confused with its rival forecast predictor, Farmer's Almanac, recently released its prediction for 2020.

Wisconsin is divided into three parts: the northern two-thirds of the state will see "a parade of snowstorms," the southeastern part of the state will be "mild, with soakers," and a tiny section of the state around Platteville in the southwest will be "snowy, icy and icky "– that is if you trust the forecasting abilities at The Old Farmer's Almanac.

It's a prediction that bears similarity to the forecast from the 2019-20 Farmers' Almanac: Western Wisconsin will be "frigid and snowy," while the eastern half will be "frozen and snowy." What that means exactly is anybody's guess.

The competing Farmers’ Almanac predicts that the eastern two-thirds of the United States can expect a snowy ride through the rest of the winter.

In Wisconsin, the Farmers’ Almanac predicted a "Polar Coaster Winter," with plenty of frigid temperatures and snow for a majority of the country.

"Freezing, frigid, and frosty" are the exact terms used to describe the upcoming season, especially for areas east of the Rockies all the way to the Appalachians.