WI Blizzard of April 2018

Green Bay, Wisconsin has seen the worst snow fall in 130 years, thanks to Blizzard Evelyn. (Yes, we name our storms here, named Evelyn by our local news station). When first hearing the warnings about getting maybe 18 inches, no one believed it. We've all heard this before, be prepared for all the snow, just to be disappointed with a few inches. The Green Bay area has seen maybe 10 inches at one time during the year of 2018. (We've obviously had more before, but this year was a mild winter). Should have listened to our weather providers this time, because they were right!

Friday the 13th started to storm off with some rain, turning over to freezing rain. When going to bed that night, there was a layer of rain on to ground already starting to freeze.

Waking up Saturday the 14th, there was already 10 inches of snow on the ground. The snow was still falling from the skies, with winds gusting up to 40 mph. The kids were so excited to go out and play, because it's been such a mild winter. After going out, it was hard to stay out and play due to the temperatures. The winds were making it feel a lot colder than it was. Their little faces were red within minutes.

Thankfully, there was a break in the snow on Saturday. Many of us thought it best to get out there and shovel/snow blow during this time. We weren't sure how much more we were going to get or how long it was going to last. Towns and cities claimed snow emergencies, tow bans were put into place. Law enforcement encouraged individuals to stay off the roads unless it was an emergency. So many cars were getting stuck, even the plows were getting stuck. Cars were completely plowed in.

Sunday brought more struggles to the area. Not only were we getting hammered with snow, the storm upgraded to a Blizzard, giving us Blizzard Evelyn. The winds were continuously blowing, causing visibility to be extremely low. Many businesses around where shut down due to the weather. Along with businesses closing, there were many of them struggling with roof collapsing in.

The winds brought blowing snow, that created huge drift piles. Some roadways were shut down, including sections of highways, due to the drifts being to deep to get through.

Sunday ended our blizzard with a record snowfall of 23.2 inches, bringing us into 2nd place for the biggest snow storm we have seen since 1889. We almost took the number one spot, but thankfully it ended. There is so much snow, and no place to put it!

But Sunday also brought fun and play for many families in the area! Including my own. We climbed snow piles and walked through the park, rolling over the snow banks to get over sidewalks.

The kids were excited to have a snow day on Monday the 16th.

As the week has pulled ahead, Green Bay is still uncovering themselves from the huge amounts of snow, but soon it will be gone. And we will find ourselves struggling with the risks of flooding our streets. The city is taking many precautions to avoid water filled streets. The community will continue to work together. Think Spring!