County Hazards

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Winter in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin

227 winter storms and snow events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Winter Storm, Winter Weather, Heavy Snow, Blizzard, Ice Storm, Lake-Effect Snow, Sleet.

227 events · 26 deaths recorded · peak month January · county share of state 2.2%

Winter event locations in and around Milwaukee County. Boundaries: US Census Bureau.

NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.

NCEI records 227 winter events in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 30 years.

January is the busiest month, with 66 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 198 events against 29 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.

The county holds 2.2% of the 10,237 winter events recorded in Wisconsin; its 94.0 per 100 square miles compares with 18.9 statewide.

NCEI attributes 26 deaths in the county to winter storms and snow.

Some winter weather and high wind events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county; zone-recorded events whose zone is named for the county are included and marked "Forecast zone" in the table.

Compared with Wisconsin

MeasureMilwaukee CountyWisconsinUS
Winter events since 195022710,237287,339
Per 100 square miles94.018.98.1
Per 10,000 residents2.417.48.7
Deaths recorded261382,509
Busiest monthJanuaryJanuaryJanuary

By year

195019882026
Winter events recorded in Milwaukee County per year, 1950 to 2026 (2026 is partial).

Seasonality

Jan
66
Feb
59
Mar
26
Apr
12
May
0
Jun
0
Jul
0
Aug
0
Sep
0
Oct
2
Nov
13
Dec
49
Winter events in Milwaukee County by month of occurrence, all years.

Recorded events

The 189 events kept for this page are the 120 most recent plus the 80 with the most damage, deaths or injuries out of 227. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.

DateEvent typeMagnitudeProperty damageCrop damageDeathsInjuriesGeography
15 Mar 2026Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
15 Mar 2026Blizzard—————Forecast zone
28 Feb 2026Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
18 Jan 2026Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
16 Jan 2026Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
14 Jan 2026Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
10 Jan 2026Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
28 Dec 2025Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
13 Dec 2025Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
9 Dec 2025Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
6 Dec 2025Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
29 Nov 2025Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
16 Mar 2025Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
14 Feb 2025Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
12 Feb 2025Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
5 Feb 2025Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
6 Jan 2025Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
19 Dec 2024Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
21 Nov 2024Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
21 Mar 2024Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
15 Feb 2024Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
23 Jan 2024Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
22 Jan 2024Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
12 Jan 2024Winter Storm—$80K———Forecast zone
8 Jan 2024Winter Weather—$4K———Forecast zone
31 Oct 2023Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
25 Mar 2023Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
9 Mar 2023Winter Storm—$30K———Forecast zone
22 Feb 2023Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
16 Feb 2023Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
28 Jan 2023Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
25 Jan 2023Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
22 Dec 2022Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
9 Dec 2022Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
31 Mar 2022Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
6 Mar 2022Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
24 Feb 2022Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
22 Feb 2022Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
18 Feb 2022Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
6 Feb 2022Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
24 Jan 2022Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
22 Jan 2022Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
1 Jan 2022Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
28 Dec 2021Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
6 Dec 2021Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
15 Feb 2021Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
13 Feb 2021Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
11 Feb 2021Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
4 Feb 2021Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
30 Jan 2021Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
25 Jan 2021Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
1 Jan 2021Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
29 Dec 2020Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
12 Dec 2020Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
12 Feb 2020Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
9 Feb 2020Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
31 Jan 2020Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
17 Jan 2020Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
10 Jan 2020Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
10 Nov 2019Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
6 Nov 2019Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
30 Oct 2019Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
27 Apr 2019Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
14 Apr 2019Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
26 Feb 2019Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
17 Feb 2019Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
11 Feb 2019Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
7 Feb 2019Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
5 Feb 2019Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
27 Jan 2019Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
22 Jan 2019Winter Storm———1—Forecast zone
18 Jan 2019Winter Storm———2—Forecast zone
29 Dec 2018Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
28 Dec 2018Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
25 Nov 2018Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
18 Apr 2018Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
14 Apr 2018Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
3 Apr 2018Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
5 Mar 2018Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
11 Feb 2018Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
8 Feb 2018Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
5 Feb 2018Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
3 Feb 2018Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
22 Jan 2018Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
14 Jan 2018Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
12 Jan 2018Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
12 Mar 2017Lake-Effect Snow———4—Forecast zone
24 Feb 2017Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
16 Jan 2017Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
11 Jan 2017Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
10 Jan 2017Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
19 Dec 2016Winter Weather———1—Forecast zone
16 Dec 2016Winter Storm———2—Forecast zone
10 Dec 2016Winter Storm———1—Forecast zone
4 Dec 2016Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
8 Apr 2016Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
2 Apr 2016Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
24 Mar 2016Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
1 Mar 2016Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
29 Feb 2016Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
8 Feb 2016Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
28 Dec 2015Winter Storm—$5K—2—Forecast zone
20 Nov 2015Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
3 Mar 2015Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
25 Feb 2015Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
1 Feb 2015Winter Storm———3—Forecast zone
8 Jan 2015Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
18 Dec 2014Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
28 Nov 2014Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
22 Nov 2014Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
14 Apr 2014Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
4 Mar 2014Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
17 Feb 2014Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
13 Feb 2014Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
4 Feb 2014Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
26 Jan 2014Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
26 Jan 2014Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
24 Jan 2014Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
14 Jan 2014Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
10 Jan 2014Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
8 Dec 2013Winter Weather———1—Forecast zone
1 Feb 2011Blizzard—$10K—32Forecast zone
9 Dec 2010Winter Weather—$5K——1Forecast zone
9 Feb 2010Winter Storm———1—Forecast zone
23 Dec 2009Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
28 Mar 2009Winter Storm———3—Forecast zone
25 Dec 2008Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
24 Dec 2008Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
23 Dec 2008Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
21 Dec 2008Winter Storm———1—Forecast zone
18 Dec 2008Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
16 Dec 2008Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
3 Dec 2008Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
1 Dec 2008Winter Storm———1—Forecast zone
30 Nov 2008Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
24 Nov 2008Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
21 Mar 2008Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
17 Feb 2008Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
11 Feb 2008Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
9 Feb 2008Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
5 Feb 2008Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
1 Feb 2008Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
31 Jan 2008Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
29 Jan 2008Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
21 Jan 2008Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
28 Dec 2007Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
15 Dec 2007Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
11 Dec 2007Ice Storm—————Forecast zone
4 Dec 2007Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
1 Dec 2007Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
21 Nov 2007Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
11 Apr 2007Winter Storm—$10K———Forecast zone
2 Mar 2007Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
25 Feb 2007Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
24 Feb 2007Blizzard—$75K———Forecast zone
23 Feb 2007Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
13 Feb 2007Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
21 Jan 2007Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
14 Jan 2007Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
12 Jan 2007Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
1 Dec 2006Blizzard—————Forecast zone
10 Nov 2006Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
16 Feb 2006Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
27 Jan 2005Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
22 Jan 2005Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
6 Jan 2005Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
1 Jan 2005Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
18 Dec 2004Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
8 Feb 2004Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
26 Jan 2004Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
16 Jan 2004Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
4 Jan 2004Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
7 Apr 2003Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
4 Apr 2003Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
4 Mar 2003Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
11 Feb 2003Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
3 Feb 2003Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
2 Mar 2002Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
18 Dec 2000Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
11 Dec 2000Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
7 Apr 2000Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
9 Mar 1999Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
2 Jan 1999Blizzard—$2K——5Forecast zone
8 Jan 1998Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
16 Jan 1997Blizzard—————Forecast zone
29 Jan 1996Blizzard—————Forecast zone
23 Jan 1996Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
16 Jan 1996Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
5 Jan 1996Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone

Questions and answers

How many winter events has Milwaukee County had?

227 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of winter storms and snow became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.

When was the last recorded winter event in Milwaukee County?

15 Mar 2026 (Blizzard). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.

What was the most damaging winter event recorded in Milwaukee County?

The winter storm of 12 Jan 2024, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $80K.

How does Milwaukee County compare with Wisconsin for winter?

94.0 events per 100 square miles against 18.9 statewide; the county holds 227 of the state's 10,237 recorded events.

Provenance

NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026, public domain. County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county (marked "Forecast zone"). Population and area from the US Census Bureau (2021). Built 1 Oct 2026. See the methodology, the Winter hub and the county page.