Overview
A strong winter storm brought heavy snow to northern parts of the area, with a swath of 7 to locally 12 inches laid out north of Interstate 90. Snowfall amounts were less further south of the I-90 corridor. Compounding the travel difficulties posed by intense snowfall were blowing and drifting impacts due to northerly winds gusting 30 to 45 mph overnight. Roads quickly became snow-covered and dangerous. Areas from northeast Iowa into southwest Wisconsin received more of a wintry mix, including some freezing rain. Isolated power outages occurred where moderate icing accumulated on trees and power lines. Just north of the NWS La Crosse forecast area, this system produced a very narrow band of intense snow from south of the Twin Cities into northwest Wisconsin where amounts ranged from 15 to locally 21 inches! Snowfall forecasts become very difficult when extremely narrow snow bands like this come into play. Not only does the narrow band's placement need to be accurately pinned down in advance (a difficult task in and of itself), but if the band remains stationary for any length of time the intense snow rates can lead to impressive amounts of snow piling up in very little time. |
Snow Reports
Map of storm total snowfall reports | Smoothed map of storm total snowfall (Note: only an approximation of snow amounts) |
Same system that brought us winter weather spawned severe weather further south |
Public Information Statement National Weather Service La Crosse WI 912 PM CST Sat Dec 11 2021 ...SNOWFALL REPORTS... Location Amount Time/Date Lat/Lon ...Iowa... ...Allamakee County... Harpers Ferry 6.4 SSW 1.6 in 0700 AM 12/11 43.11N/91.20W Postville 5.5 NE 1.2 in 0700 AM 12/11 43.14N/91.49W Harpers Ferry 4.1 SW 1.0 in 0800 AM 12/11 43.16N/91.21W ...Chickasaw County... Ionia 2W 3.0 in 0700 AM 12/11 43.03N/92.50W New Hampton 0.4 SW 3.0 in 0700 AM 12/11 43.06N/92.32W Fredericksburg 0.3 S 1.4 in 0945 AM 12/11 42.96N/92.20W ...Clayton County... Elkader 6.8 WSW 1.3 in 0630 AM 12/11 42.81N/91.52W Strawberry Point 1.0 in 0700 AM 12/11 42.69N/91.53W Elkader 6SSW 0.8 in 0700 AM 12/11 42.78N/91.45W Guttenberg Dam 10 0.2 in 0800 AM 12/11 42.79N/91.10W ...Fayette County... 3 N Fayette 2.0 in 0705 AM 12/11 42.88N/91.83W Oelwein 1 E 1.0 in 0630 AM 12/11 42.68N/91.88W ...Floyd County... Nora Springs 2.4 SSE 2.5 in 0700 AM 12/11 43.11N/92.99W Charles City 2.0 in 0700 AM 12/11 43.06N/92.67W Marble Rock 2.0 in 0651 AM 12/11 42.96N/92.87W Colwell 1.0 in 0817 AM 12/11 43.16N/92.59W ...Howard County... Elma 2.1 in 0700 AM 12/11 43.24N/92.44W ...Mitchell County... St Ansgar 5.6 in 0630 AM 12/11 43.38N/92.92W ...Winneshiek County... 7 ENE Decorah 3.1 in 0847 AM 12/11 43.34N/91.64W Decorah 4.9SE 2.0 in 0700 AM 12/11 43.26N/91.70W ...Minnesota... ...Dodge County... 1 NE Kasson 11.0 in 0825 AM 12/11 44.04N/92.74W Hayfield 0.3 SSE 8.5 in 0800 AM 12/11 43.89N/92.85W Mantorville 1.9 ESE 8.5 in 0700 AM 12/11 44.05N/92.72W ...Fillmore County... Chatfield 7.8 in 0855 AM 12/11 43.84N/92.19W 1 S Lanesboro 6.5 in 0812 AM 12/11 43.71N/91.97W Preston 6.0 in 0800 AM 12/11 43.67N/92.07W 2 WSW Fillmore 5.5 in 0700 AM 12/11 43.74N/92.31W Wykoff 3.1 NW 5.5 in 0700 AM 12/11 43.74N/92.31W Chatfield 9.0 ESE 5.3 in 0700 AM 12/11 43.79N/92.03W Mabel 4.0 in 0700 AM 12/11 43.52N/91.76W ...Houston County... Hokah 4 NW 4.9 in 0700 AM 12/11 43.80N/91.43W La Crescent 4.8 in 0705 AM 12/11 43.83N/91.31W Houston 6.9 E 4.5 in 0845 AM 12/11 43.76N/91.43W Caledonia 3.3 in 0845 AM 12/11 43.63N/91.50W Caledonia 5.4 S 3.0 in 0800 AM 12/11 43.56N/91.51W ...Mower County... 1 SW Austin 9.0 in 0556 PM 12/11 43.66N/92.98W Waltham 2.0 SE 7.0 in 0800 AM 12/11 43.80N/92.85W Austin 1.9 ENE 5.5 in 0800 AM 12/11 43.68N/92.94W Austin 2.4 W 5.0 in 0626 AM 12/11 43.67N/93.02W 2 NE Lyle 4.0 in 0700 AM 12/11 43.53N/92.91W ...Olmsted County... 2 NNW Rochester 11.0 in 0700 AM 12/11 44.05N/92.49W 1 NW Rochester 10.5 in 0845 AM 12/11 44.02N/92.49W 5 E Douglas 10.5 in 0837 AM 12/11 44.10N/92.48W 2 NE Rochester 10.5 in 0600 AM 12/11 44.04N/92.44W 1 SSW Oronoco 10.1 in 1019 AM 12/11 44.15N/92.54W 6 NNW Genoa 10.0 in 1037 AM 12/11 44.19N/92.65W 2 NNE Rochester 9.7 in 0500 AM 12/11 44.04N/92.46W 3 SSE Douglas 9.5 in 0601 PM 12/11 44.08N/92.55W 2 NE Rochester 9.5 in 0923 AM 12/11 44.03N/92.45W 4 ESE Douglas 9.5 in 0850 AM 12/11 44.08N/92.51W 2 NW Rochester 9.3 in 0846 AM 12/11 44.03N/92.50W Rochester 4.7 N 9.3 in 0700 AM 12/11 44.08N/92.48W 3 SE Rochester 8.9 in 1059 AM 12/11 43.98N/92.44W Rochester 4.2 N 8.5 in 0630 AM 12/11 44.08N/92.49W Byron 8.1 in 0929 AM 12/11 44.03N/92.65W 1 NE Rochester 8.0 in 0255 PM 12/11 44.02N/92.46W Rochester AP 2NE 7.4 in 0700 AM 12/11 43.93N/92.48W 1 NE Chatfield 7.0 in 0125 PM 12/11 43.85N/92.17W Stewartville 4.3 E 7.0 in 0600 AM 12/11 43.86N/92.40W Rochester 1.5 WSW 5.5 in 0700 AM 12/11 44.00N/92.50W Elgin 2SSW 5.0 in 0700 AM 12/11 44.10N/92.27W 3 SSW Predmore 4.5 in 0821 AM 12/11 43.90N/92.34W Elba 4.7 SW 4.0 in 0800 AM 12/11 44.04N/92.09W ...Wabasha County... Lake City 12.0 in 0817 AM 12/11 44.45N/92.27W Millville 10.0 in 0631 AM 12/11 44.25N/92.30W Theilman 1 SSW 9.8 in 0730 AM 12/11 44.28N/92.19W 0.9 N Wabasha 9.6 in 0700 AM 12/11 44.38N/92.05W Zumbro Falls 3.5 SSW 5.5 in 0733 AM 12/11 44.24N/92.46W ...Winona County... 4.2 N Rollingstone 10.0 in 0800 AM 12/11 44.16N/91.81W 1 WNW Winona 7.5 in 0600 AM 12/11 44.05N/91.68W Winona 2.0 ESE 7.1 in 0715 AM 12/11 44.04N/91.63W Winona Dam 5A 7.0 in 0800 AM 12/11 44.09N/91.67W 2 S Goodview 7.0 in 0635 AM 12/11 44.05N/91.71W 2 NNW Wilson 6.5 in 0935 AM 12/11 43.98N/91.71W Winona 1.3 SSW 6.0 in 0815 AM 12/11 44.03N/91.68W Saint Charles 6.0 in 0654 AM 12/11 43.97N/92.06W La Crescent 4.0 NNW 5.4 in 0745 AM 12/11 43.88N/91.34W La Crescent Dam 7 4.5 in 0800 AM 12/11 43.87N/91.31W ...Wisconsin... ...Adams County... Nekoosa 8.0 SSE 7.0 in 0700 AM 12/11 44.21N/89.85W 3 ESE White Creek 6.0 in 0708 AM 12/11 43.81N/89.80W 0.6 W Friendship 4.2 in 0700 AM 12/11 43.98N/89.83W Oxford 4.0 W 4.0 in 0700 AM 12/11 43.79N/89.64W Friendship 6.4 N 3.5 in 0700 AM 12/11 44.06N/89.80W ...Buffalo County... Mondovi 10.0 in 0500 PM 12/11 44.56N/91.67W Alma Dam 4 8.6 in 0800 AM 12/11 44.33N/91.92W Fountain City 8.0 in 0948 AM 12/11 44.12N/91.70W Cochrane 7.9 in 0800 AM 12/11 44.22N/91.83W ...Clark County... Owen 1E 10.0 in 0700 AM 12/11 44.95N/90.55W 2 N Dorchester 9.3 in 0746 AM 12/11 45.03N/90.33W 6 N Chili 8.0 in 0828 AM 12/11 44.71N/90.34W ...Crawford County... 2.8 E Harpers Ferry 2.0 in 0800 AM 12/11 43.21N/91.10W Prairie Du Chien 1.4 N 2.0 in 0700 AM 12/11 43.06N/91.14W 2 N Prairie Du Chien 1.6 in 0940 AM 12/11 43.07N/91.14W Eastman 2.4 NNE 1.5 in 0900 AM 12/11 43.20N/91.00W Steuben 4SE 1.0 in 0820 AM 12/11 43.13N/90.84W Eastman 1.0 in 0815 AM 12/11 43.16N/91.02W ...Grant County... Muscoda 0.5 WSW 1.3 in 0937 AM 12/11 43.18N/90.44W Patch Grove 0.1 NNW 1.0 in 0700 AM 12/11 42.94N/90.97W Cassville 7.8 ENE 0.2 in 0700 AM 12/11 42.75N/90.84W Platteville T in 0651 AM 12/11 42.74N/90.48W Cuba City T in 0639 AM 12/11 42.60N/90.43W Boscobel T in 0630 AM 12/11 43.14N/90.70W ...Jackson County... Black River Falls 1.7 NNE 9.2 in 0700 AM 12/11 44.32N/90.83W Black River Falls 8.1 in 0830 AM 12/11 44.29N/90.85W Hatfield 8.0 in 0957 AM 12/11 44.42N/90.73W 4 W Melrose 7.5 in 0726 AM 12/11 44.13N/91.07W Melrose 3.6 W 7.5 in 0700 AM 12/11 44.13N/91.07W ...La Crosse County... 4 NE New Amsterdam 7.1 in 0709 AM 12/11 44.03N/91.27W Holmen 1.7 SSE 6.2 in 0700 AM 12/11 43.93N/91.24W Onalaska 1.9 E 6.0 in 0700 AM 12/11 43.89N/91.18W 4 WNW Stevenstown 5.8 in 0956 AM 12/11 44.05N/91.24W 2 E La Crosse 5.7 in 0600 AM 12/11 43.82N/91.19W 2 NNW Onalaska 5.3 in 0700 AM 12/11 43.91N/91.23W French Island 5.3 in 0600 AM 12/11 43.86N/91.27W La Crosse 4NNW 5.1 in 0730 AM 12/11 43.87N/91.27W 1 W West Salem 5.0 in 0953 AM 12/11 43.90N/91.10W 1 NNW Onalaska 5.0 in 0945 AM 12/11 43.90N/91.23W Holmen 5.0 in 0905 AM 12/11 43.96N/91.26W La Crosse 4.4 SSE 5.0 in 0700 AM 12/11 43.77N/91.21W West Salem 4.5 in 0700 AM 12/11 43.90N/91.09W Coon Valley 4.5 NNW 3.4 in 0700 AM 12/11 43.76N/91.06W La Crosse 3.0 in 0600 AM 12/11 43.86N/91.27W ...Monroe County... 3 ESE Melrose 7.3 in 0655 AM 12/11 44.12N/90.94W Cataract 7.3 in 0600 AM 12/11 44.09N/90.84W Tunnel City 6.3 in 0948 AM 12/11 44.01N/90.57W Sparta 6.0 in 0808 AM 12/11 43.94N/90.81W Tomah 5.5 in 0946 AM 12/11 43.99N/90.50W Warrens 4.7 WSW 5.5 in 0700 AM 12/11 44.10N/90.59W 0.5 SW Sparta 5.0 in 0800 AM 12/11 43.94N/90.82W Wilton 4.2 E 4.4 in 0700 AM 12/11 43.81N/90.44W ...Richland County... 2 NNE Bloom City 3.0 in 0908 AM 12/11 43.52N/90.45W ...Taylor County... 2 N Medford 11.5 in 0828 PM 12/11 45.17N/90.35W 0.6 SE Medford 11.0 in 0700 AM 12/11 45.13N/90.34W 1 W Medford 8.5 in 0800 AM 12/11 45.14N/90.37W Medford 0.8 ENE 8.3 in 0700 AM 12/11 45.14N/90.33W ...Trempealeau County... 1 NE Galesville 10.0 in 0828 AM 12/11 44.09N/91.34W 3 SSE Elk Creek 10.0 in 0811 AM 12/11 44.39N/91.38W Arcadia 9.0 in 0736 AM 12/11 44.25N/91.49W Ettrick 4.0 WNW 8.2 in 0721 AM 12/11 44.19N/91.34W Dodge 8.0 in 0747 AM 12/11 44.13N/91.55W Galesville 7.0 in 0844 AM 12/11 44.08N/91.36W Trempealeau Dam 6 6.0 in 0800 AM 12/11 44.00N/91.44W 2 WSW Frenchville 5.8 in 0930 AM 12/11 44.14N/91.36W ...Vernon County... De Soto 5.1 in 0711 AM 12/11 43.43N/91.20W Hillsboro 2 SW 5.0 in 0700 AM 12/11 43.63N/90.38W 5 NE Stoddard 4.5 in 0700 AM 12/11 43.72N/91.16W Stoddard 4.7 NNE 4.5 in 0700 AM 12/11 43.72N/91.17W 2 NE Stoddard 3.7 in 0808 AM 12/11 43.68N/91.19W 0.5 E Viroqua 3.2 in 0700 AM 12/11 43.56N/90.88W Genoa Dam 8 3.0 in 0700 AM 12/11 43.57N/91.23W Viroqua 0.8 ESE 1.8 in 0700 AM 12/11 43.55N/90.87W Hillsboro 0.5 WSW 1.0 in 0700 AM 12/11 43.65N/90.35W Observations are collected from a variety of sources with varying equipment and exposures. We thank all volunteer weather observers for their dedication. Not all data listed are considered official. $$
Wind Reports
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI 103 PM CST SAT DEC 11 2021 ...HIGHEST WIND REPORTS FROM EARLY SATURDAY MORNING... LOCATION SPEED TIME/DATE LAT/LON ...IOWA... ...FAYETTE COUNTY... OELWEIN MUNICIPAL AIRPORT 41 MPH 0415 AM 12/11 42.68N/91.97W ...HOWARD COUNTY... SARATOGA 37 MPH 0346 AM 12/11 43.35N/92.42W ...WINNESHIEK COUNTY... DECORAH MUNICIPAL AIRPORT 33 MPH 0435 AM 12/11 43.27N/91.72W ...MINNESOTA... ...DODGE COUNTY... 2 E KASSON 40 MPH 0250 AM 12/11 44.02N/92.71W DODGE CENTER AIRPORT 37 MPH 0235 AM 12/11 44.02N/92.82W ...FILLMORE COUNTY... PRESTON AIRPORT 38 MPH 0415 AM 12/11 43.68N/92.17W ...MOWER COUNTY... 1 ENE DEXTER 41 MPH 0250 AM 12/11 43.73N/92.68W AUSTIN MUNICIPAL AIRPORT 38 MPH 0215 AM 12/11 43.67N/92.92W ...OLMSTED COUNTY... ROCHESTER INTERNATIONAL AIRP 44 MPH 0250 AM 12/11 43.90N/92.50W JCT CR 7 I-90 MILE POST 226 38 MPH 0305 AM 12/11 43.96N/92.21W 3 N STEWARTVILLE 37 MPH 0350 AM 12/11 43.90N/92.48W MAYO HELIPAD 35 MPH 0555 AM 12/11 44.02N/92.48W ROCHESTER 32 MPH 0247 AM 12/11 44.18N/92.41W ...WABASHA COUNTY... 1 SSE KELLOGG 34 MPH 0550 AM 12/11 44.28N/91.99W LAKE CITY 33 MPH 0216 AM 12/11 44.32N/92.44W ...WINONA COUNTY... 1 E RIDGEWAY 37 MPH 0450 AM 12/11 43.91N/91.54W WINONA MUNICIPAL AIRPORT 36 MPH 0555 AM 12/11 44.07N/91.70W ...WISCONSIN... ...GRANT COUNTY... LANCASTER 36 MPH 0841 AM 12/11 42.83N/90.69W BOSCOBEL AIRPORT 32 MPH 0523 AM 12/11 43.15N/90.68W PLATTEVILLE MUNICIPAL AIRPOR 32 MPH 0715 AM 12/11 42.68N/90.43W ...JUNEAU COUNTY... NECEDAH 31 MPH 0648 AM 12/11 44.03N/90.08W MAUSTON AIRPORT 30 MPH 0655 AM 12/11 43.83N/90.13W ...LA CROSSE COUNTY... LA CROSSE REGIONAL AIRPORT 36 MPH 0351 AM 12/11 43.88N/91.25W ONALASKA 35 MPH 0255 AM 12/11 43.89N/91.18W ...TAYLOR COUNTY... 3 NE LUBLIN 31 MPH 0414 AM 12/11 45.11N/90.69W MEDFORD AIRPORT 30 MPH 0515 AM 12/11 45.10N/90.30W OBSERVATIONS ARE COLLECTED FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES WITH VARYING EQUIPMENT AND EXPOSURES. WE THANK ALL VOLUNTEER WEATHER OBSERVERS FOR THEIR DEDICATION. NOT ALL DATA LISTED ARE CONSIDERED OFFICIAL. $$
Photos & Video:
Lake City, MN (courtesy Becca Weist) |
Onalaska, WI (courtesy Tim Berg) |
Glistening Tree Tops (NWS La Crosse) |
Blue Skies Behind the Winter Storm (NWS La Crosse) |
Black River Falls, WI (courtesy Hannah Shaw) | NE Kasson, MN (courtesy Don Vaughan) |
Rural Medford, WI (courtesy Diane Gerum) |
Millville, MN (courtesy Amy Tentis) |
NE Rochester, MN (courtesy Ajnos Nosdivad) |
North of Holmen, WI (courtesy Mike Kurz) |
North of Holmen, WI (courtesy Mike Kurz) |
Media use of NWS Web News Stories is encouraged! Please acknowledge the NWS as the source of any news information accessed from this site. |