FOX VALLEY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Though it took a bit longer than usual, Northeast Wisconsin’s first snow storm of the season has arrived.
“Thank God that it hasn’t happened before,” Susie Morrison of Appleton said. “We’ve been very blessed, so if we have another three months of this, I guess we can live through it.”
But living in Wisconsin comes with the expectation it could happen anytime. For Morrison, that means being ready to bring out the shovel after seeing several inches of snow in front of her Appleton home.
“Do it often because otherwise — I don’t know, it sounds like this isn’t going to quit any time soon. So, I’ll probably be out here four or five times,” Morrison said.
While the snow can be a headache for homeowners, it also sets into place what officials call “snow mode” at Appleton International Airport.
“About 20 people total that work rotating 12 hour shifts,” Air Service and Business Development Manager Jesse Funk said. “They’ll do that until the last flake flies and all of the surface is clear.”
Between runways, ramp areas and parking lots, ATW is responsible for keeping over 13.5 million square feet of surface clear.
“One of the things we talk about is speed. So, if you leave here in a car and go to Oshkosh — drive down Highway 41, you can go 30 miles per hour if you need to,” Funk said. “An airplane lands anywhere from 120 to 160 miles per hour. So, we need the runways clear for them to be able to stop by the end of the runway.”
To do that, operators use several pieces of large equipment, including what’s known as a combine.
The combine used at Appleton International Airport to plow snow off the runways. Jan. 10, 2023. (Photo Courtesy: WLUK)
“Combination plow and broom,” Funk said. “So, two pieces. The front end looks a lot like the tractor of a semi-truck, so pretty high off the ground. You’ll be able to see over the plow and then it drags behind it a rotating broom.”
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The airport can’t use salt because of the damage it causes to planes. Aside from that, the process isn’t far from what you would do at home.
“Essentially, it’s a large snow blower, so not too much different from what you might have at your house,” Funk said.
Funk said to be aware of potential flight delays because the airport prioritizes safety. He also recommends downloading your airline’s app to keep up to date on the most direct communication.
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