A winter storm, which eventually became a blizzard, began shortly after midnight Dec. 3, 1990, and by the time it was over late that evening, it would dump a record 17.3 inches of snow on the Madison area. The total would beat the previous record of 13.2 inches of snow in a 24-hour period, set on Dec. 15, 1987.
The snowstorm cut a swath from Grant County to Green Bay, according to the National Weather Service, bringing wind gusts up to 60 mph and creating drifts as high as 7 feet. It shut down roads, schools, businesses and government offices — even UW-Madison classes were canceled. Nine people in Wisconsin died of heart attacks as a result of shoveling the heavy snow, the Weather Service said. Here's a look back at coverage from that time.
The front page of the Wisconsin State Journal on Dec. 4, 1990, the day after a blizzard dumped 17.3 inches of snow on Madison. The storm set a record for the most snowfall in 24 hours.
Wisconsin State Journal
Passers-by push a car stuck in snow at the intersection of Main and Fairchild streets during a record-setting snowfall Dec. 3, 1990, in Madison.
CAROLYN PFLASTERER
Snowed-in cars were the order of the day on Monday as Madison coped with 17.3 inches of snow, a record for a one-day snowfall.
The Capital Times
Cars are stuck after a record-setting snowfall on Dec. 3, 1990.
THE CAPITAL TIMES
Jason Swenson shovels out the car of Jason Gersmehl, who was on Highway 18-151 between Madison and Verona when he slid off the road a day after Madison set a single-day record of 17.3 inches of snow on Dec. 3, 1990.
WISCONSIN STATE JOURNAL ARCHIVES
Burt Bonner tackles the large snow fall.
David Sandell
A car that slid off the Cottage Grove Rd. exit ramp. Highway 51 is in the background.
MIKE DeVRIES, THE CAPITAL TIMES
Steve Picke tackles the aftermath of Monday's record snowfall.
David Sandell
The State Journal's Local section from Dec. 4, 1990.
Page from the Dec. 4, 1990, State Journal.
Jason Swenson shovels out the car of Jason Gersmehl, who was on Highway 18-151 between Madison and Verona when he slid off the road a day after Madison set a single-day record of 17.3 inches of snow on Dec. 3, 1990.
WISCONSIN STATE JOURNAL ARCHIVESRead more stories from the Wisconsin State Journal archives about the blizzard that dropped a record 17.3 inches of snow on Madison in a single day on Dec. 3, 1990.
The front page of the Wisconsin State Journal on Dec. 4, 1990, the day after a blizzard dumped 17.3 inches of snow on Madison. The storm set a record for the most snowfall in 24 hours.
Wisconsin State Journal
Passers-by push a car stuck in snow at the intersection of Main and Fairchild streets during a record-setting snowfall Dec. 3, 1990, in Madison.
CAROLYN PFLASTERER
Snowed-in cars were the order of the day on Monday as Madison coped with 17.3 inches of snow, a record for a one-day snowfall.
The Capital Times
Cars are stuck after a record-setting snowfall on Dec. 3, 1990.
THE CAPITAL TIMES
Jason Swenson shovels out the car of Jason Gersmehl, who was on Highway 18-151 between Madison and Verona when he slid off the road a day after Madison set a single-day record of 17.3 inches of snow on Dec. 3, 1990.
WISCONSIN STATE JOURNAL ARCHIVES
Burt Bonner tackles the large snow fall.
David Sandell
A car that slid off the Cottage Grove Rd. exit ramp. Highway 51 is in the background.
MIKE DeVRIES, THE CAPITAL TIMES
Steve Picke tackles the aftermath of Monday's record snowfall.
David Sandell
The State Journal's Local section from Dec. 4, 1990.
Page from the Dec. 4, 1990, State Journal.
Jason Swenson shovels out the car of Jason Gersmehl, who was on Highway 18-151 between Madison and Verona when he slid off the road a day after Madison set a single-day record of 17.3 inches of snow on Dec. 3, 1990.
WISCONSIN STATE JOURNAL ARCHIVESRead more stories from the Wisconsin State Journal archives about the blizzard that dropped a record 17.3 inches of snow on Madison in a single day on Dec. 3, 1990.
Madison saw 4 inches of snow on Halloween 2019, making it the snowiest October day in Madison history.
The snow will hit hardest in central Wisconsin, where a winter storm warning is in effect.Â
Southern Wisconsin is under a winter storm warning from early Saturday through 6 a.m. Sunday, with double-digit snow totals possible.
You don't have to hibernate this winter. Here are nine indoor activities for the cold months.
Take a step back in time, dance to live music, or hike through a wintry landscape.
Several inches had fallen by daybreak and more was expected, with far southern and southeastern Wisconsin experiencing the hardest hit, according to forecasters.
Wisconsin will see several inches of snow in the storm starting Thursday, then several days of the coldest weather of the season, according to forecasters.
Snowfall rates could reach an inch per hour Tuesday afternoon as the storm moves across Wisconsin, causing significant travel impacts, according to forecasters.
After a storm system delivers high winds and snow to Wisconsin on Wednesday, two waves of below-zero cold will follow, according to forecasters.
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