Deepening surface low pressure produced a swath of heavy, wet snow along with gusty northerly winds over much of southcentral and southeast Wisconsin during the afternoon and evening of March 2nd.  The low deepened rapidly in response to a vigorous upper-level short-wave that crossed the western Great Lakes region.  The surface low tracked from Missouri, across northern Illinois, to Lower Michigan during the afternoon and evening hours.  A warm vertical temperature profile allowed the precipitation to begin as rain in far Southeast Wisconsin...with snow elsewhere across the southern portion of the state.  The rain quickly changed over to snow late in the afternoon...with instability aloft sufficient to produce elevated convection and thunder-snow over southeast Wisconsin.  Snowfall rates between 1.5 and 2 inches per hour were common at the height of the event during the evening rush hour. Snowfall totals were between 5 and 7 inches...with a few 8 and 9 inch reports in western Sheboygan County.  The tight pressure gradient around the deep surface low produced gusty northeast to north winds up to 40 mph (35 knots) which occasionally reduced visibilities to near zero in the heavy snow.  The heavy, wet snow collected on power lines and tree limbs, causing some to snap.  At one point, We Energies utility estimated 15,000 customers lost electrical power in southeastern Wisconsin. There were numerous vehicle crashes and spin-outs during this event.  A few minor injuries were reported, including a school bus crash in Walworth County that sent a high-school student to the hospital with a head injury.

Winter Storm in GREEN LAKE, WISCONSIN
From 02-MAR-12 12:00:00 to 02-MAR-12 20:18:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: COOP Observer

Snowfall totaled 5.5 inches just south of Berlin with wind gusts up to 40 mph (35 knots).

Winter Storm in COLUMBIA, WISCONSIN
From 02-MAR-12 12:00:00 to 02-MAR-12 20:18:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: COOP Observer

Snowfall totaled 5 inches at Columbus with wind gusts up to 40 mph (35 knots). The Columbia County Sheriff reported a total of 29 slide-off incidents and 13 crashes. Minor injuries were reported in one of the crashes.

Winter Storm in DANE, WISCONSIN
From 02-MAR-12 12:00:00 to 02-MAR-12 20:18:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: COOP Observer

Snowfall totaled 6 inches at Charmany Farm near Madison with wind gusts up to 40 mph (35 knots).

Winter Storm in GREEN, WISCONSIN
From 02-MAR-12 12:00:00 to 02-MAR-12 20:18:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: COOP Observer

Snowfall totaled 6 inches in a narrow band between New Glarus and Browntown with wind gusts up to 40 mph (35 knots).

Winter Storm in FOND DU LAC, WISCONSIN
From 02-MAR-12 14:00:00 to 02-MAR-12 22:23:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: COOP Observer

Snowfall totaled 7 inches in Campbellsport with wind gusts up to 40 mph (35 knots).

Winter Storm in ROCK, WISCONSIN
From 02-MAR-12 12:00:00 to 02-MAR-12 20:18:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: COOP Observer

Snowfall totaled 5 inches in Milton with wind gusts up to 40 mph (35 knots).

Winter Storm in SHEBOYGAN, WISCONSIN
From 02-MAR-12 14:00:00 to 02-MAR-12 22:23:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: COOP Observer

Snowfall totaled 6.9 inches on the southwest side of the City of Sheboygan with wind gusts up to 40 mph (35 knots).

Winter Storm in DODGE, WISCONSIN
From 02-MAR-12 14:00:00 to 02-MAR-12 22:23:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: COOP Observer

Snowfall totaled 8 inches in Beaver Dam with wind gusts up to 40 mph (35 knots).

Winter Storm in KENOSHA, WISCONSIN
From 02-MAR-12 14:00:00 to 02-MAR-12 22:23:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Snowfall totaled 4.7 inches in Twin Lakes with wind gusts up to 40 mph (35 knots). The Kenosha County Sheriff reported three injury accidents, nine property-damage accidents and fifteen cars sliding into ditches during the storm. The inuries were all minor.

Winter Storm in WASHINGTON, WISCONSIN
From 02-MAR-12 14:00:00 to 02-MAR-12 22:23:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: Amateur Radio

Snowfall totaled 7 inches two miles southwest of West Bend with wind gusts up to 40 mph (35 knots).

Winter Storm in OZAUKEE, WISCONSIN
From 02-MAR-12 14:00:00 to 02-MAR-12 22:23:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: COOP Observer

Snowfall totaled 7.5 inches one mile northwest of Belgium with wind gusts up to 40 mph (35 knots).

Winter Storm in JEFFERSON, WISCONSIN
From 02-MAR-12 14:00:00 to 02-MAR-12 22:23:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: COOP Observer

Snowfall totaled 6 inches in Watertown with wind gusts up to 40 mph (35 knots).

Winter Storm in JEFFERSON, WISCONSIN
From 02-MAR-12 14:00:00 to 02-MAR-12 22:23:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: COOP Observer

Snowfall totaled 6 inches in Oconomowoc with wind gusts up to 40 mph (35 knots).

Winter Storm in MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN
From 02-MAR-12 14:00:00 to 02-MAR-12 22:23:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: COOP Observer

Snowfall totaled 5.5 inches 4 miles northwest of downtown Milwaukee with wind gusts up to 40 mph (35 knots).

Winter Storm in WALWORTH, WISCONSIN
From 02-MAR-12 14:00:00 to 02-MAR-12 22:23:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: COOP Observer

Snowfall totaled 4.3 inches one mile east of Lake Geneva with wind gusts up to 40 mph (35 knots). A school bus rolled over on Beloit Road near Prairie View Road in Walworth Township, injuring one of the five students on the bus.

Winter Storm in RACINE, WISCONSIN
From 02-MAR-12 14:00:00 to 02-MAR-12 22:23:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: COOP Observer

Snowfall totaled 6.1 inches one mile northwest of Waterford with wind gusts up to 40 mph (35 knots).