From June 2001 issue of The Badger Weather Report

2000-2001 Winter Season

by Paul Collar, Meteorologist

The 2000-2001 Winter season in southern Wisconsin can be summed up in one word: December. During the record setting December, Milwaukee received 49.5 inches of snow, shattering the previous record of 30.7 inchers in 1951. The normal December snowfall for Milwaukee is 9.0 inches. Milwaukee also established a new December snow depth record of 32 inches (old record 18 inches in 1978) on December 21st. In Madison, 35.0 inches occurred in December 2000, which broke the previous record of 32.8 set in 1987. 

Two major storms were responsible for the bulk of the snowfall. One on December 11-12 and the other a week later on December 18-19 (see graphics at http://www.crh.noaa.gov/mkx/document/document.html). 

Notable storm accumulations from 12/11 - 12/12 Storm:

 Wind Point	14.5 in.
 Kenosha	14.5 in.
 Racine	14.0 in.
 Milwaukee	13.6 in.

Milwaukee's Mitchell International set a new calendar record with their 13.6 inches. That broke the old record of 13.1 inches set on December 15, 1987.

Notable storm accumulations from 12/18-12/19 Storm:

 South Milwaukee	14.5 in.
 Howards Grove	14.0 in.
 Milwaukee	10.5 in.
 Middleton	9.6 in.

Aside from the cold and snowy December, it was a rather tranquil winter season with below normal snowfall and relatively mild temperatures. 

Getting Ready for Wisconsin Severe Weather in 2001... by Reviewing What Happened
in 2000

by Rusty Kapela, Warning Coordination Meteorologist

    No severe-weather or flood-related deaths! Will our luck continue in 2001? 
    1 Cold weather-related death (December 2000 in Milwaukee) 
    38 Injuries due to hailstorms (36 on May 12, 2000) 
    16 Injuries due to tornadoes (all in Milwaukee County 3/8/00) 
    6 Injuries due to thunderstorm down-burst straight-line winds 
    4 Injuries due to floods/flash floods 
    2 Injuries due to lightning 
    Rare, out-of-season tornado struck Cudahy & St. Francis on 03/08/00! 
    $121.6 million damage in May 12, 2000 hailstorm in central counties (costliest, single, weather event in Wisconsin history) 
    $79 million in flood or flash flood damage across state in warm season 
    Record May, 2000, rainfall totals of 8-18" in southern Wisconsin 
    Major flooding late May-early June, 2000 in southern Wisconsin 
    Hurricane-force winds (80-100 mph) tore through Monroe, Juneau, and Adams Counties 
    Hurricane-force winds raked parts of Green County (85 mph) and Rock County (100-115mph) on August 5, 2000. 
    Largest total number of warnings (tornado, severe thunderstorm, flash flood, marine) ever issued for state by NWS offices (for 2000) in a single year 
    Near-record or record December snowfall totals southeast of a line from Dubuque, Iowa to Green Bay (25 to 55") 
    Near-record or record December snow depths southern Wisconsin at one point in time during the month (15-34") 
    December 2000, was among the top-10 coldest December's for most of state 

    Message for 2001...Don't take anything for granted. Plan ahead, play it safe, know what's
    happening on the weather scene, know when a warning has been issued, and take personal
    responsibility for your safety. No county in the state of Wisconsin immune from
    thunderstorm-related hazards.

What has happened in 2001 across Wisconsin???

    Major river flooding in April/May along Mississippi and St. Croix Rivers due to winter snowmelt and periodic heavy rains in the drainage basins. 
    Several windy days in April..with high winds (58 mph gusts or higher) on the 7th and 11th. Gusts to 66 mph on the 7th in downtown Milwaukee..at the Betty Brinn Museum. In April, Milwaukee had 28 days with winds gusts >= 20 mph, 14 days with gusts >= 30 mph, and 5 days with gusts >= 40 mph. 
    In April, Madison had 28 days with winds gusts >= 20 mph, 7 days with gusts >= 30 mph, and 4 days with gusts >= 40 mph. 

    Several days of severe weather...mostly scattered reports of damaging straight-line winds, large hailstones (in some cases...damaging). Not much in the way of flash flooding. Severe weather was noted somewhere in Wisconsin on April 7, 11, 12, and 23rd, May 1, 3, 9, 10, 14, 15, and 16th. 
    Unofficially, 4 tornadoes have been reported. One about 2 miles east-northeast of Minocqua in Oneida County, and two in Pierce County, and one near River Falls and the other near Ellsworth. 
    Numerous severe thunderstorms on May 14th with damaging winds and large hail stones, ranging from 1 to 3.75 inches in diameter. The largest hail stones, 2.5 to 3.75 inches in diameter, pelted Watertown which sits on the Dodge/Jefferson County line. Many vehicles sustained damage. Hail stones also damaged many vehicles in the Waterford, Racine County area.