Snow and wind arrive with latest storm, heavier totals elsewhere

After reaching a record high of 56 degrees on March 10, Rhinelander was blanketed with another round of snow squalls late last week and into last weekend.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported less snow than predicted, but windy blizzard conditions remained as forecasted. On top of the snow, conditions brought 20-30 mph winds, with gusts up to 45 — dropping wind chill temperatures down to 10 below during many parts of the day.

Wisconsin has had some notable blizzards in the past, with some even causing numerous fatalities. One of the deadliest came on November 11, 1940, when over 150 people were killed. Before reaching the Midwest, the “Armistice Day Blizzard” even forced collapse upon the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, the third longest suspension bridge in the world at the time.

A more recent blizzard happened in late February of 2019, but snowfall totals for Oneida and Vilas Counties were far greater at nearly a foot and a half. Though predictions were calling for anywhere from 17-30+ inches here in northern Wisconsin, this weekend’s blizzard again tallied only about 8-10 inches. Southern portions of our state got more accumulation, and some usual suspects of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula saw more than 50 inches.

Wind gusts were parallel in 2019 however, with winds peaking around 45 mph for both storms. The latest NOAA snow depth report for Rhinelander measured 18 inches after the addition of last weekend’s snow. Prior to that, another eight inches of accumulation was recorded as a record high through the evening of March 12 and into the morning of the March 13.

Though there was a winter weather advisory in effect only through 4 p.m. on Monday, March 16, the snow is likely to stay for a few days. However, forecasted highs heading into the weekend are hovering around 50 before dropping back into the 30s towards the end of next week.

Road conditions have improved since the beginning of the week, and some sections on Highway 47 were even completely clear of snow. Highway 8 had clear sections as well, though much of the road still had drifts from the strong north wind. Sidewalks in Rhinelander were adequately cleared and cooler temperatures came with decreased wind speeds and drifting. Power outages were prolific in the Green Bay area, but few were reported in the Northwoods.

Blake Richard may be reached via email at [email protected].