National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Winter Storm of February 28th-29th, 2012
"The Leap Year Storm"


Snowfall Graphics Snow Totals Rain Totals

 

A winter storm moved through the Upper Mississippi River Valley from Tuesday night (Feb 28th) into Wednesday afternoon (Feb 29th).  Due to an abundance of warm air and moisture that was pushed northward ahead of the storm, a wide variety of precipitation fell.  Here is a summary broken down by region: 

 

Central Minnesota - Northern half of Wisconsin (along and north of Highway 29):

  • Temperatures remained cold enough for all snow
  • 10-17" of wet, heavy snow fell
  • Sporadic power outages were reported

Forecast Evolution

 

The NWS La Crosse forecast evolution

Southern Minnesota - Central Wisconsin (Interstate 90 region):

  • A combination of snow, sleet, rain, and freezing rain was observed
  • 2-4" of snow fell north of Interstate 90 (much of this melted)
  • Rainfall totals exceeded an inch in many areas
  • Smaller creeks and tributaries rose very rapidly
  • Water ponded in fields and drainage areas because of frozen ground
  • Pockets of colder air led to some icing on secondary roads, colder valleys, and even ridge tops

Radar Loop

 

Radar loop from 12 pm Tuesday (Feb 28) through 4 pm Wednesday (Feb 29)

Northern Iowa - Southwest Wisconsin: Nearly all the precipitation fell as rain (minimal impact)
  • Strong winds developed on Wednesday as the storm system exited
  • Rainfall amounts were generally 0.50 to 1.00 inches
 

NWS Green Bay also posted a summary of this event - click here

 

nws logo Media use of NWS Web News Stories is encouraged. Please acknowledge the NWS as the source of any news information accessed from this site.

 

february 28-29 snowfall

february 28-29 snowfall

Regional snowfall analysis (Feb.28-29)

Local snowfall analysis (Feb.28-29)


Snow Totals

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
410 PM CST WED FEB 29 2012

...SNOWFALL TOTALS FROM AROUND THE AREA...

LOCATION      SNOWFALL  TIME    LAT/LON

MINNESOTA

...WABASHA COUNTY...
THEILMAN                      0.7         0357 PM 44.30N 92.2W
LAKE CITY                     0.5         0357 PM 44.45N 92.28W

WISCONSIN

...BUFFALO COUNTY...
ALMA                          2.0         0358 PM 44.33N 91.92W

...CLARK COUNTY...
OWEN 2 N                      10.3        0353 PM 44.98N 90.57W
COLBY 4SW                     6.0         0355 PM 44.87N 90.42W
ROCK DAM LAKE                 4.0         0354 PM 44.73N 90.84W
NEILLSVILLE 4 NNE             3.0         0356 PM 44.61N 90.56W

...TAYLOR COUNTY...
MEDFORD                       17.0        0352 PM 45.14N 90.35W
JUMP RIVER 1 NW               15.0        0351 PM 45.37N 90.82W
MEDFORD 4 NW                  14.7        0355 PM 45.18N 90.41W

...TREMPEALEAU COUNTY...
OSSEO                         2.1         0354 PM 44.58N 91.22W
BLAIR 2 NW                    1.0         0358 PM 44.32N 91.26W

OBSERVATIONS ARE COLLECTED FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES WITH VARYING
EQUIPMENT AND EXPOSURE.  NOT ALL DATA LISTED IS CONSIDERED OFFICIAL.
$$

Rain Totals

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
445 PM CST WED FEB 29 2012

...RAINFALL TOTALS ACROSS THE AREA...

LOCATION                   RAINFALL    TIME     LAT/LON


IOWA

...ALLAMAKEE COUNTY...
DORCHESTER HIGHWAY 76      0.78        0700 AM  43.42N 91.51W
LANSING 4SE                0.72        0700 AM  43.32N 91.16W
WAUKON                     0.68        0700 AM  43.27N 91.47W
ION                        0.56        0700 AM  43.11N 91.27W

...CHICKASAW COUNTY...
NEW HAMPTON                0.49        0700 AM  43.06N 92.31W
IONIA                      0.49        0700 AM  43.03N 92.50W

...CLAYTON COUNTY...
ELKADER 6SSW               0.65        0700 AM  42.79N 91.45W
VOLGA                      0.58        0700 AM  42.81N 91.52W
ELKADER                    0.54        0700 AM  42.84N 91.40W
STRAWBERRY POINT           0.50        0700 AM  42.69N 91.53W
LITTLEPORT                 0.50        0700 AM  42.75N 91.37W
GUTTENBERG                 0.46        0700 AM  42.79N 91.10W
MARQUETTE                  0.36        0700 AM  43.04N 91.21W
GARBER                     0.29        0700 AM  42.74N 91.26W

...FAYETTE COUNTY...
CLERMONT                   0.74        0700 AM  43.00N 91.66W
ELDORADO                   0.57        0700 AM  43.05N 91.81W
FAYETTE                    0.51        0700 AM  42.85N 91.82W
OELWEIN 1E                 0.20        0700 AM  42.68N 91.88W

...FLOYD COUNTY...
CHARLES CITY COOP          0.82        0700 AM  43.08N 92.67W
CHARLES CITY AWOS          0.63        0700 AM  43.07N 92.61W
CHARLES CITY CEDAR RVR     0.62        0700 AM  43.06N 92.67W
NASHUA                     0.30        0700 AM  42.94N 92.57W

...HOWARD COUNTY...
ELMA                       0.60        0700 AM  43.24N 92.44W

...MITCHELL COUNTY...
ST ANSGAR                  1.15        0700 AM  43.37N 92.83W
OSAGE                      1.10        0700 AM  43.28N 92.81W

...WINNESHIEK COUNTY...
DECORAH                    0.77        0700 AM  43.30N 91.80W
BLUFFTON                   0.70        0700 AM  43.41N 91.90W
CALMAR                     0.67        0700 AM  43.18N 91.87W
WAUCOMA                    0.62        0700 AM  43.05N 92.04W
DECORAH AWOS               0.56        0700 AM  43.28N 91.74W

MINNESOTA

...DODGE COUNTY...
DODGE CENTER               1.52        0700 AM  44.04N 92.88W

...FILLMORE COUNTY...
CARIMONA                   1.33        0700 AM  43.66N 92.15W
SPRING VALLEY 3E           1.17        0700 AM  43.68N 92.33W
PILOT MOUND                1.14        0700 AM  43.78N 92.03W
LANESBORO                  1.12        0700 AM  43.72N 91.97W
SPRING VALLEY              1.05        0700 AM  43.69N 92.39W
HIGHLAND                   1.04        0700 AM  43.65N 91.84W
PRESTON                    1.02        0700 AM  43.67N 92.07W
HARMONY                    0.96        0700 AM  43.55N 92.01W
SPRING VALLEY 1 NW         0.95        0700 AM  43.70N 92.40W
PRESTON AWOS               0.88        0700 AM  43.68N 92.18W

...HOUSTON COUNTY...
MOUND PRAIRIE              1.25        0700 AM  43.78N 91.45W
HOUSTON                    1.00        0700 AM  43.77N 91.57W
SPRING GROVE 4N            0.91        0700 AM  43.61N 91.62W
BROWNSVILLE                0.53        0700 AM  43.70N 91.27W

...MOWER COUNTY...
LANSING                    1.63        0700 AM  43.75N 92.95W
AUSTIN                     1.63        0700 AM  43.67N 92.95W
AUSTIN 3S                  1.48        0700 AM  43.62N 93.00W
GRAND MEADOW               1.05        0700 AM  43.71N 92.56W

...OLMSTED COUNTY...
ROCHESTER - CASCADE CREEK  1.68        0700 AM  44.03N 92.48W
ELGIN                      1.48        0700 AM  44.10N 92.27W
ROCHESTER - SILVER CREEK   1.47        0700 AM  44.03N 92.42W
ELBA                       1.30        0700 AM  44.05N 92.05W
ROCHESTER BELTLINE         1.21        0700 AM  43.91N 92.50W
ROCHESTER - BEAR CREEK     1.20        0700 AM  43.92N 92.48W
ROCHESTER AP 2NE           1.10        0700 AM  43.93N 92.48W
POST TOWN                  0.68        0700 AM  44.09N 92.82W
DOVER                      0.53        0700 AM  44.01N 92.11W

...WABASHA COUNTY...
LAKE CITY                  1.68        0700 AM  44.43N 92.28W
KELLOGG                    1.67        0700 AM  44.32N 92.00W
THEILMAN                   1.57        0700 AM  44.28N 92.19W
LAKE CITY                  1.39        0700 AM  44.45N 92.26W

...WINONA COUNTY...
ALTURA 5W                  1.54        0700 AM  44.06N 92.04W
MINNESOTA CITY             1.40        0700 AM  44.16N 91.81W
LA CRESCENT DAM 7          1.35        0700 AM  43.87N 91.31W
WINONA                     1.13        0700 AM  44.09N 91.67W
ALTURA                     0.95        0700 AM  44.15N 92.01W
DAKOTA                     0.80        0700 AM  43.92N 91.37W

WISCONSIN

...ADAMS COUNTY...
FRIENDSHIP                 0.74        0700 AM  43.98N 89.83W

...BUFFALO COUNTY...
ALMA DAM 4                 1.36        0700 AM  44.33N 91.92W

...CLARK COUNTY...
OWEN                       1.86        0700 AM  44.98N 90.55W
NEILLSVILLE 3SW            1.44        0700 AM  44.53N 90.64W

...CRAWFORD COUNTY...
STEUBEN 4SE                0.89        0700 AM  43.13N 90.84W
LYNXVILLE DAM 9            0.82        0700 AM  43.21N 91.10W
SOLDIERS GROVE             0.68        0700 AM  43.39N 90.78W
PRAIRIE DU CHIEN           0.54        0700 AM  43.05N 91.13W

...GRANT COUNTY...
BOSCOBEL RAWS              0.52        0700 AM  43.15N 90.68W
SINSINAWA                  0.51        0700 AM  42.52N 90.54W
BOSCOBEL ASOS              0.49        0700 AM  43.16N 90.68W
CUBA CITY                  0.48        0700 AM  42.63N 90.46W
LANCASTER 4WSW             0.44        0700 AM  42.83N 90.79W
PLATTEVILLE AWOS           0.15        0700 AM  42.69N 90.44W

...JACKSON COUNTY...
BLACK RIVER FALLS STP      1.45        0700 AM  44.29N 90.85W
BLACK RIVER FALLS RAWS     1.25        0700 AM  44.30N 90.84W
MATHER 3NW                 1.05        0700 AM  44.17N 90.35W
HATFIELD HYDRO PLANT       1.00        0700 AM  44.39N 90.76W

...JUNEAU COUNTY...
NECEDAH                    0.91        0700 AM  44.00N 90.04W
NECEDAH 1W                 0.73        0700 AM  44.02N 90.08W
NECEDAH 5WNW               0.70        0700 AM  44.06N 90.17W

...LA CROSSE COUNTY...
HOLMEN 2S                  1.24        0700 AM  43.93N 91.25W
WEST SALEM 1W              1.20        0700 AM  43.90N 91.09W
LA CROSSE                  1.19        0700 AM  43.80N 91.37W
LA CROSSE 4NNW             1.18        0700 AM  43.87N 91.27W
LA CROSSE ASOS             1.14        0700 AM  43.88N 91.26W
LA CROSSE WEATHER          0.97        0700 AM  43.82N 91.19W

...MONROE COUNTY...
SPARTA                     1.12        0700 AM  43.94N 90.82W
FOUR CORNERS               0.91        0700 AM  44.07N 90.92W
WARRENS                    0.84        0700 AM  44.10N 90.59W
TUNNEL CITY                0.63        0700 AM  44.01N 90.57W

...RICHLAND COUNTY...
RICHLAND CENTER 1NW        0.53        0700 AM  43.36N 90.42W
RICHLAND CENTER            0.51        0700 AM  43.32N 90.38W

...TAYLOR COUNTY...
MEDFORD                    1.57        0700 AM  45.13N 90.34W

...TREMPEALEAU COUNTY...
OSSEO                      1.38        0700 AM  44.58N 91.22W
GALESVILLE 3ENE            1.17        0700 AM  44.09N 91.29W
BLAIR 2NW                  1.15        0700 AM  44.31N 91.27W
TREMPEALEAU DAM 6          1.10        0700 AM  44.00N 91.44W
GALESVILLE 2WSW            1.09        0700 AM  44.07N 91.39W

...VERNON COUNTY...
READSTOWN                  0.88        0700 AM  43.45N 90.76W
ONTARIO 3E                 0.84        0700 AM  43.72N 90.60W
LA FARGE                   0.81        0700 AM  43.57N 90.64W
GENOA                      0.71        0700 AM  43.57N 91.23W
VIROQUA                    0.70        0700 AM  43.55N 90.90W
READSTOWN 4NE              0.70        0700 AM  43.48N 90.69W
WESTBY 3ENE                0.70        0700 AM  43.68N 90.81W

OBSERVATIONS ARE COLLECTED FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES WITH VARYING
EQUIPMENT AND EXPOSURE. NOT ALL DATA LISTED IS CONSIDERED OFFICIAL.

$$