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**What Makes a Winter Storm?**

**Cold Air:** Below freezing temperatures in the clouds and near the
ground are necessary to make snow and ice.

> **Moisture:** Needed to form clouds and precipitation.

**Lift:** Something to raise the moist air to form clouds and
precipitation, such as a front.

> **Where Do Winter Storms Develop?**

-   Storms that affect Wisconsin develop over southeast Colorado,
    northwest Canada, and over the southern Plains. These storms move
    toward the Midwest and use both the southward plunge of cold air
    from Canada, and the northward flow of moisture from the Gulf of
    Mexico to produce heavy snow over the region.

-   "Alberta Clippers," which develop in the lee of the Canadian Rockies
    and move southeast toward Wisconsin, not only bring accumulating
    snow, but also strong winds and extremely cold air to the state.

-   Lake effect snowstorms develop as cold air moves across the
    relatively warmer waters of Lake Michigan and Lake Superior.
    Moisture from the lakes is then deposited as heavy snow within
    several miles of the shore.

> Significant Past Winter Storms in Wisconsin:

  ---- -------------------- ------------------------ ------------------------- ------------------------------
       [Date]{.underline}   [Location]{.underline}   [Character]{.underline}   [Remarks]{.underline}

  1    Mar 2-4, 1881        SRN & CNTRL WI           Blizzard                  2\'-4\' Snowfall, 20\' Drifts

  2    Jan 15, 1887         SRN & CNTRL WI           Snowstorm                 2\' Snow, Huge Drifts

  3    Dec 27-28, 1904      SRN & CNTRL WI           Heavy Snow                26\" Neillsville- 24 hr State
                                                                               Record

  4    Feb 3-6, 1924        SRN WI                   Blizzard                  20.3\" \@Milwaukee, 10\'
                                                                               Drifts

  5    Nov 11-12, 1940      STATEWIDE                Blizzard                  12 Deaths, Severe Drifting

  6    Nov 6-8, 1943        STATEWIDE                Heavy Snow/Ice            10\"-18\", Roads Blocked for
                                                                               Days

  7    Jan 28-30, 1947      SRN & CNTRL WI           Blizzard                  10\"-27\", 15\' Drifts,
                                                                               Blocked Roads

  8    Oct 31- Nov 2, 1991  NW & WC WI               Snowstorm                 20\"-31\" Snowfall, Huge
                                                                               Drifts

  9    Jan 2-3, 1999        SRN & CNTRL WI           Blizzard/Snowstorm        10\"-21\" Snow, 50-60 mph
                                                                               Gusts, 8\' Drifts

  10   Mar 13-14, 1997      WC TO NE WI              Snowstorm                 12\"-28\" Snowfall over 2 Days
  ---- -------------------- ------------------------ ------------------------- ------------------------------