A view from Wednesdays spring snowstorm March 24th 2011
Yet another strong storm system brought another major snow storm to parts of the local area in what seemed to be a never ending winter in Western Wisconsin! The storm brought with it everything from strong winds to blinding heavy snow and high snowfall accumulations, to sleet and heavy rain as the low pressure center tracked just to the areas south. The storm was strong enough that frequent thunder and lightning was seen area wide with the heavy snow and sleet bands. High impact travel issues were seen across the area especially early in the storm system when heavy sleet covered the roads. Many car accidents/slide offs were reported, I seen more then one significant car accident on Highway 63 between Clayton and Cumberland where the cops responded. One major accident that was reported was a large semi slide off the road and tipped over spilling it’s contents onto the roadway on Highway 8 near Barron. Later in the storm system, many roads became impassible for the 3rd time this winter from heavy snow and blowing snow.
Heavy Sleet which accumulated on the lawn early in the storm system March 22nd
Before I left for Superior,WI with Dirk Miller from Rice Lake, the precip type was sleet at my location with the first band that rolled through during the morning hours. By late morning my dad reported it actually had turned to light rain/drizzle that lasted much of the day before the second wave, and the brunt of the storm hit during the late evening hours. Rain quickly turned back to sleet then eventually heavy snow with large flakes by 10PM. By this time a intense heavy band of snow was setting up right over much of the area, In this band there was very heavy snow falling and I saw more then one bright flash of lightning where I was stranded to ride out the storm in Rice Lake at Dirks Millers house. Shortly after I seen the lightning, my dad reported that at home there was lightning bright enough to light up the entire night sky, I have to say that was some of the most intense and frequent lightning I’ve ever seen in a snowstorm! At the same time that we were getting heavy snow with lightning, my brother was reporting just a plain old thunderstorms in River Falls!
Fallen pine branches from ice, snow and strong winds.
The wind is this storm was strong, gusting to near 40MPH at times, this with ice and heavy snow accumulation cause considerable pine tree branch damage. I came home to multiple branches large and small covering the lawn, some were 1 to 2 inches in diameter and were thrown quite a ways. Wind whipped heavy sleet, shredded pine needles, and I could see needles covering the snow all across the lawn from all our pine trees, even in spots far from any trees.
Locally Reported snowfall totals
By Wednesday evening my area received way more then I expected. After being nearly snow free with daffodils budding and crocus showing signs of color on Monday, I was blanketed by 8.50″ of fresh, very wet and heavy snow, on top of a partly thawed ground.
The areas highest snowfall accumulation was 12 inches in Spooner and Sarona in Washburn counties. There was a sharp cut off in snowfall totals where more sleet and rain mixed in at St Croix county, most of this area only revived 2-5 inches!