December 3, 1990: Huge Snowstorm Brushes U.P.
An intense low-pressure area developed in the southern Plains and lifted northeastward in early December 1990 (Images 1 and 2 above). It brought a blizzard to Wisconsin and brushed the southeastern U.P. and portions of the central. The storm developed over Oklahoma and lifted northeastward. Heavy snow developed in the cold sector north and northwest of the storm’s path. A full-fledged blizzard bisected Wisconsin from southwest to northeast. Lacrosse and Green Bay got 14 inches, while Madison had a record 17 inches. Just north of Madison, a town in central Wisconsin was buried under 22 inches. Heavy snows fell over the southeastern U.P. and over the central, persistent east-northeast flow brought nearly two feet of snow to Champion and Herman in the high country of the north-central U.P.
There was only a brief cold spell after the storm. By the second week, temperatures rose into the 40s and 50s. The month as a whole, however, ended near average as an arctic blast hit the U.P. just before Christmas and held into early January.
Snow lovers take notice; there is a chance of a significant system affecting the Great Lakes late this upcoming weekend into early next week. The unseasonably warm weather will come to an end during the night tonight. Then as temperatures drop closer to average, energy will drop out of the big trough over the Gulf of Alaska into the U.S. The European model is most robust lifting a major storm into the Lower Peninsula by Monday of next week (Image 3). If this were to occur, much of the U.P. would have a significant snowstorm.
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