Strong winds decrease this morning. A major snowstorm is expected Saturday night through Monday morning which could bring heavy snow, freezing rain, and blizzard conditions. Monitor the forecast for the latest updates and make appropriate preparations! Read More >
Overview
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An extremely narrow band of heavy snowfall affected the local area from northeast Iowa into western and central Wisconsin overnight February 19th into February 20th, 2026. Hourly snowfall rates of 1" to 2" per hour were reported, resulting in accumulations topping 12" in select counties of northeast Iowa.
While confidence was high that a band of heavy snow (6-8" or more) was going to occur somewhere in the area Thursday night, the location was more challenging. A larger majority of computer forecasts Wednesday morning suggested the band would be located from northeast Iowa into western Wisconsin. But, by later Wednesday afternoon, probabilities shifted south into southwest and central Wisconsin. That location held through Thursday but as the storm moved into central Iowa Thursday evening, satellite and radar indicated another shift back north for the heavy snow band was likely happening. At that time (10 pm), Winter Storm Warnings were added north to the I-90 corridor in Wisconsin. |
 Radar Animation Feb 19-20, 2026 |
Snow
A narrow band of 12" to 15" of snow was observed from Waucoma, IA through Decorah, IA and Genoa, WI into Melvina, WI and Warrens, WI.
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| Snow Reports as of 7 am Friday Feb 20 2026 | Snow Totals as of 7 am Friday Feb 20 2026 |
Public Information Statement National Weather Service La Crosse WI 711 AM CST Fri Feb 20 2026 ...SNOWFALL REPORTS... Location Amount Time/Date Lat/Lon ...Iowa... ...Chickasaw County... Fredericksburg 15.5 in 0507 AM 02/20 42.96N/92.20W ...Clayton County... Elkader 6.8 WSW 5.0 in 0630 AM 02/20 42.81N/91.52W ...Fayette County... Waucoma 14.0 in 0617 AM 02/20 43.06N/92.03W ...Floyd County... Marble Rock 15.0 in 0707 AM 02/20 42.96N/92.87W Charles City 1.2 ESE 9.0 in 0505 AM 02/20 43.06N/92.65W ...Howard County... Cresco 8.0 in 0435 AM 02/20 43.37N/92.12W ...Winneshiek County... Fort Atkinson 15.0 in 0530 AM 02/20 43.14N/91.93W 3 NNW Decorah 12.0 in 0553 AM 02/20 43.34N/91.83W 2 N Decorah 10.0 in 0702 AM 02/20 43.33N/91.79W Decorah 9.5 in 0641 AM 02/20 43.31N/91.79W ...Minnesota... ...Fillmore County... 1 N Rushford 8.0 in 0633 AM 02/20 43.83N/91.75W Lanesboro 0.2 SSW 6.3 in 0600 AM 02/20 43.72N/91.97W Rushford 6.0 in 0536 AM 02/20 43.81N/91.75W ...Houston County... 6 S Reno 10.0 in 0630 AM 02/20 43.51N/91.29W 1 N Sheldon 10.0 in 0633 AM 02/20 43.70N/91.59W Caledonia 9.0 in 0600 AM 02/20 43.63N/91.50W 4 WNW La Crescent 9.0 in 0653 AM 02/20 43.84N/91.38W Hokah 8.0 in 0600 AM 02/20 43.76N/91.35W ...Wisconsin... ...Adams County... Grand Marsh 3.0 in 0649 AM 02/20 43.89N/89.71W ...Clark County... Colby 5.9 WSW 0.5 in 0700 PM 02/19 44.87N/90.42W Thorp 10.1 S T in 0530 AM 02/20 44.81N/90.82W ...Crawford County... 1 S De Soto 10.0 in 0613 AM 02/20 43.41N/91.19W Prairie Du Chien 4.5 in 0640 AM 02/20 43.04N/91.14W ...Grant County... Platteville 1.0 in 0453 AM 02/20 42.74N/90.48W ...Jackson County... 3 WNW Black River Falls 5.0 in 0649 AM 02/20 44.32N/90.89W ...Juneau County... Camp Douglas 5.0 in 0420 AM 02/20 43.92N/90.27W Necedah 4.0 in 0630 AM 02/20 44.02N/90.07W ...La Crosse County... 6 SSE La Crosse 10.0 in 0640 AM 02/20 43.75N/91.18W Bangor 7.0 in 0606 AM 02/20 43.89N/90.99W Rockland 6.0 in 0458 AM 02/20 43.91N/90.92W French Island 6.0 in 0600 AM 02/20 43.86N/91.27W Onalaska 6.0 in 0614 AM 02/20 43.89N/91.22W 5 S La Crosse 5.5 in 0425 AM 02/20 43.76N/91.22W 2 E La Crosse 5.5 in 0600 AM 02/20 43.82N/91.19W Onalaska 5.0 in 0430 AM 02/20 43.89N/91.22W 1 NNW La Crosse 5.0 in 0600 AM 02/20 43.84N/91.24W West Salem 4.8 in 0705 AM 02/20 43.90N/91.08W Stevenstown 4.0 in 0638 AM 02/20 44.04N/91.17W ...Monroe County... 1 N Melvina 12.0 in 0634 AM 02/20 43.82N/90.77W 2 N Warrens 12.0 in 0700 AM 02/20 44.16N/90.50W 2 SSW Tomah 8.0 in 0508 AM 02/20 43.97N/90.52W Wilton 6.5 in 0453 AM 02/20 43.81N/90.53W 2 N Tomah 6.0 in 0650 AM 02/20 44.02N/90.50W Kendall 5.0 in 0513 AM 02/20 43.79N/90.37W Sparta 3.0 in 0425 AM 02/20 43.94N/90.81W ...Taylor County... Westboro 0.1 NW T in 0625 AM 02/20 45.36N/90.30W ...Trempealeau County... Trempealeau 3.0 in 0650 AM 02/20 44.01N/91.44W ...Vernon County... Chaseburg 10.0 in 0605 AM 02/20 43.66N/91.10W Genoa 10.0 in 0616 AM 02/20 43.57N/91.23W 6 NNE Red Mound 9.5 in 0630 AM 02/20 43.55N/91.10W Westby 9.0 in 0612 AM 02/20 43.65N/90.86W Stoddard 4.7 NNE 7.0 in 0700 AM 02/20 43.72N/91.17W La Farge 6.0 in 0515 AM 02/20 43.58N/90.64W 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
As the snowfall exited east, strong northwest winds with gusts of 30 to 45 mph perpetuated drifting snow and slippery travel conditions.
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| Max Wind Gusts (mph) through 10 am Feb 20 |
...HIGHEST WIND REPORTS...
...HIGHEST WIND REPORTS... Location Speed Time/Date Lat/Lon ...Iowa... ...Chickasaw County... New Hampton 36 MPH 0600 AM 02/20 43.07N/92.46W New Hampton 29 MPH 0156 AM 02/20 43.05N/92.30W ...Fayette County... Oelwein Municipal Airport 39 MPH 0515 AM 02/20 42.68N/91.97W Hawkeye 34 MPH 0425 AM 02/20 42.96N/91.95W ...Floyd County... Charles City Airport 35 MPH 1235 AM 02/20 43.07N/92.62W ...Howard County... Saratoga 37 MPH 0415 AM 02/20 43.35N/92.42W Saratoga 36 MPH 0435 AM 02/20 43.37N/92.47W Riceville 28 MPH 0700 PM 02/19 43.36N/92.48W ...Winneshiek County... Decorah Municipal Airport 37 MPH 0835 AM 02/20 43.27N/91.72W Decorah 34 MPH 0700 AM 02/20 43.25N/91.70W ...Minnesota... ...Dodge County... U.s.14 - Byron - Mp 200 37 MPH 0340 AM 02/20 44.02N/92.71W Dodge Center Airport 35 MPH 0419 AM 02/20 44.02N/92.82W ...Fillmore County... Preston Airport 51 MPH 0135 AM 02/20 43.68N/92.17W T.h.52 - Canton - Mp 2 41 MPH 0215 AM 02/20 43.52N/91.89W U.s.63 - Le Roy - Mp 0.5 40 MPH 0635 AM 02/20 43.51N/92.37W Lanesboro 27 MPH 0855 AM 02/20 43.65N/91.84W ...Houston County... Hokah 27 MPH 1025 AM 02/20 43.80N/91.43W ...Mower County... I-90 - Dexter - Mp 195 38 MPH 0415 AM 02/20 43.73N/92.68W U.s.218 - Lyle - Mp 4 37 MPH 0340 AM 02/20 43.56N/92.95W Austin 30 MPH 0505 AM 02/20 43.56N/93.02W Austin Municipal Airport 30 MPH 0530 AM 02/20 43.67N/92.92W Lyle 26 MPH 0605 PM 02/19 43.51N/92.94W ...Olmsted County... Rochester International Airp 43 MPH 0403 AM 02/20 43.90N/92.50W U.s.63 - Stewartville - Mp 3 37 MPH 0355 AM 02/20 43.90N/92.48W I-90 - Eyota - Mp 226 37 MPH 0840 AM 02/20 43.96N/92.21W Mayo Helipad 33 MPH 0755 AM 02/20 44.02N/92.48W Rochester 26 MPH 0800 AM 02/20 44.18N/92.41W ...Wabasha County... U.s.63 - Lake City - Mp 62.9 38 MPH 0835 AM 02/20 44.38N/92.37W U.s.61 - Kellogg - Mp 53 34 MPH 0740 AM 02/20 44.28N/91.99W Lake City 26 MPH 1000 AM 02/20 44.44N/92.28W ...Winona County... I-90 - La Crescent - Mp 276. 36 MPH 0440 AM 02/20 43.86N/91.30W I-90 - Ridgeway - Mp 261 34 MPH 0750 AM 02/20 43.91N/91.54W Winona Municipal Airport 33 MPH 0815 AM 02/20 44.07N/91.70W U.s.61 - Winona 26 MPH 0845 AM 02/20 43.98N/91.43W ...Wisconsin... ...Buffalo County... Montana 29 MPH 0730 AM 02/20 44.40N/91.56W ...Clark County... Greenwood 27 MPH 1000 AM 02/20 44.72N/90.60W NEILLSVILLE 25 MPH 1019 AM 02/20 44.61N/90.65W ...Crawford County... Prairie Du Chien Airport 33 MPH 1035 AM 02/20 43.02N/91.12W ...Grant County... Lancaster 28 MPH 0741 AM 02/20 42.83N/90.69W Boscobel Airport 28 MPH 0836 AM 02/20 43.15N/90.68W Lancaster 27 MPH 0910 PM 02/19 42.83N/90.79W Platteville Municipal Airpor 25 MPH 1055 PM 02/19 42.68N/90.43W ...Jackson County... 1 E Black River Falls 26 MPH 0515 AM 02/20 44.30N/90.73W Black River Falls Area Airpo 25 MPH 0755 AM 02/20 44.25N/90.85W ...Juneau County... Volk Field 36 MPH 0946 AM 02/20 43.93N/90.27W Volk Field 36 MPH 0949 AM 02/20 43.93N/90.27W Mauston Airport 31 MPH 1035 AM 02/20 43.83N/90.13W Mauston Airport 29 MPH 0755 AM 02/20 43.83N/90.13W Necedah 26 MPH 0948 AM 02/20 44.03N/90.08W ...La Crosse County... La Crosse Regional Airport 36 MPH 0811 AM 02/20 43.88N/91.25W Onalaska 31 MPH 0726 AM 02/20 43.89N/91.18W ...Monroe County... Warrens 26 MPH 0930 AM 02/20 44.12N/90.41W ...Taylor County... Medford Airport 25 MPH 0535 AM 02/20 45.10N/90.30W STETSONVILLE 25 MPH 1045 AM 02/20 45.04N/90.34W ...Trempealeau County... Osseo 30 MPH 0525 AM 02/20 44.59N/91.27W ...Vernon County... Viroqua Municipal Airport 35 MPH 0915 AM 02/20 43.58N/90.90W
Photos
Public
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| Interstate 90 Closure - Monroe County, WI (511 Wisconsin) |
15" Snowfall Measurement - Fort Atkinson, IA (Winneshiek County EM) |
8" Snowfall Measurement - La Farge, WI (Facebook - Kimberly Hatfield) |
Adrift Automobile (Winneshiek County Sheriff's Office) |
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| 10" Snowfall Measurement - Jefferson Township, MN (Facebook - Gage Myers) |
9" Snowfall Measurement - Sheldon Township, MN (Facebook - Linda McPeak) |
11" Snowfall Measurement - Tomah, WI (Facebook - Laurie Linenberg) |
13" Snowfall Measurement - Waukon, IA (Facebook - Kristi Rounds) |
Service
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| 48 Hour Forecast (NWS La Crosse) |
36 Hour Forecast (NWS La Crosse) |
30 Hour Forecast (NWS La Crosse) |
18 Hour Forecast (NWS La Crosse) |
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| Final Forecasted Snowfall (NWS La Crosse) |
Short Term Forecast: 1 am Friday Feb 20 (NWS La Crosse) |
Watches and Warnings as of 1 pm Thursday Feb 19 (NWS La Crosse) |
Watches and Warnings as of 10 pm Thursday Feb 19 (NWS La Crosse) |
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