The numbers
As of March 16, Wisconsin is grappling with hazardous road conditions due to a severe winter storm that has blanketed the state in snow. All highways in the Milwaukee area were completely covered in snow by 11 a.m., and the Wisconsin State Patrol reported over 90 weather-related crashes in the past 24 hours.
Travel was not advised across all of northeast Wisconsin as of March 15, with the Department of Transportation (DOT) warning drivers to stay off the roads in the northwestern, north central, and northeastern parts of the state due to dangerous conditions. The only major highway closure was on I-94 in Jackson County, which remained closed for more than 10 hours.
Snowfall totals have reached staggering levels, with reports of 33 inches in Door County and over 20 inches in Wausau. In southeastern Wisconsin, blizzard conditions have been reported, with visibility dropping to or below a quarter of a mile. The DOT’s road conditions map on March 16 indicated that all roads in northeast Wisconsin carried a ‘travel not advised’ warning.
John DesRivieres, a spokesperson for the Wisconsin State Patrol, urged residents to prioritize safety, stating, “Stay off the roads if you don’t need to be there.” The ongoing storm has also left thousands without power, with 13,323 people affected in southeastern Wisconsin and 370 in the Madison area.
Christine Salm, a lifelong resident of northern Wisconsin, expressed her astonishment at the snowfall, saying, “This is the most snow I’ve ever seen in my lifetime, and I’ve been in northern Wisconsin my whole life.” The extreme weather has made it nearly impossible for vehicles to navigate many stretches of highway, as DesRivieres noted, “It was simply a winter storm so extreme that vehicles could no longer navigate the stretch of highway.”
In addition to the heavy snowfall, forecasts predict an additional 6 to 9 inches of snow in much of southeastern Wisconsin, further complicating travel and safety efforts. Blizzard warnings, while not common, highlight the severity of the current weather situation, which has little to do with the amount of snow falling, as noted by meteorologists.
As the storm continues to impact Wisconsin, officials are monitoring the situation closely, and residents are advised to stay updated on road conditions and power outages. Details remain unconfirmed regarding the full extent of the storm’s impact and recovery efforts, but the current situation underscores the need for caution and preparedness in the face of extreme winter weather.