GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – We’re a few days into December, but Wednesday was one of the first days that actually looked and felt like winter in Northeast Wisconsin.
A combination of intense snow and high winds Wednesday afternoon and evening created blowing and drifting snow, resulting in decreased visibility on the road and a number of crashes throughout the area.
Our snowfall became thick and blustery enough to merit a snow squall warning for a good chunk of Northeast Wisconsin. That warning has since expired, but powerful winds will continue to make their presence known — up to 45 mph out of the northwest.
Shortly before 5 p.m., Outagamie County issued a tow ban for Interstate 41 and Highway 441. It was lifted at approximately 10 p.m.
“I’ve seen some cars in the ditch, I’ve seen accidents on the freeway, just because of people rushing or they aren’t taking the time that they should be taking with the weather that we got,” said Andrew Weyrauch with Fox Cities Towing.
The Green Bay Police Department said around 7 p.m. that slippery, wet and icy conditions on city streets and bridges are resulting in crashes and stuck vehicles.
Areas of concern, according to GBPD, include the Tower Drive Bridge, Huron Road and Packerland Drive.
Motorists are encouraged to stay off the roads if possible, but if you must travel, be sure to plan alternate routes to your destination, slow down and be mindful of potential hazards.
Nearly 1,400 WPS customers had lost power as of Wednesday evening.
Temperatures will also drop with this wintry storm system, sending wind chills into the negative numbers into Thursday morning.
Early Wednesday, the winds hadn’t started whipping just yet. Snowflakes slowly fell on a chilly downtown Green Bay. And most are thankful that the wind was still relatively calm — because they know what winter’s winds feel like.
“About this time I seriously question why I still live here,” joked Beth Barnstorff of Green Bay. “The wind, the cold, the snow, all of it. It’s just…. unpleasant.”
Tricia Stevens of Green Bay also understands how it impacts day-to-day life.
“It makes a huge difference when the wind is part of it because that’s when the cold just seems to go right through you if you’re not dressed for it,” said Stevens.
When a snow squall whipped through later in the afternoon, the winds were definitely a factor. And this time of the year, it can feel like that wind just never calms down… and for good reason.
As it turns out, the winter and spring tend to be the windiest months of the year. According to long-term data from the Green Bay National Weather Service, December is historically the windiest month by average wind speed.
The average wind speed is nearly 11 miles per hour — 10.8 to be exact.
That might not seem impressive, but compare it to our relatively languid summer months, and that’s twice as strong as the average wind speed we see in August. And it’s four or five miles per hour higher than the rest of the summer.
The only month that gets close is April, with an average speed of just more than 10 miles per hour.
And every other winter month in between– January, February, and March — sits in a third place tie with an average speed over nine miles per hour.
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