English: SVG line drawing, meant to simulate 1600′s style engraving of Father Winter, or Old Man Winter. I created this original artwork for a label to put on my home brewed winter brown ale. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Some great information from the WI Dept. of Military Affairs.
Are You Ready for Winter?
“Get an emergency kit in your car. It could save your life”
Governor Scott Walker has declared November 5-9, 2012 as Winter Awareness Week in Wisconsin. The annual campaign, sponsored by Wisconsin Emergency Management (WEM), its ReadyWisconsin preparedness program and NOAA’s National Weather Service (NWS), is to remind people to be prepared for winter conditions that could threaten their safety.
“The number one thing to do: make sure you have an emergency supply kit in your car – it could save your life,” says Tod Pritchard, Emergency Preparedness Coordinator at Wisconsin Emergency Management.
ReadyWisconsin will air Television and Radio Public Service Announcements in November, urging viewers and listeners to keep an emergency kit in their vehicles. Wisconsin residents are also encouraged to sign up for a chance to win a winter survival kit on the ReadyWisconsin website:readywisconsin.wi.gov. Share your winter survival story on Facebook for another chance to win: www.facebook.com/readywisconsin.
Winter storms are considered deceptive killers because most deaths are indirectly related to the storm. For example, in the last five years Wisconsin has averaged 56,000 motor vehicle crashes during winter months. An average of 55 people are killed and 6,000 injured on icy or snow-covered road.
Carbon monoxide poisoning is also a danger. According to the Centers for Disease Control, carbon monoxide is the leading cause of accidental poisoning deaths in the United States, with more than 20,000 people visiting the emergency room and nearly 500 killed each year from overexposure to the gas.
Now is the time to winterize your car and home, gather items for an emergency kit in your car, and make sure you have a NOAA Weather Radio with fresh batteries. Additional winter weather tips and how to put together a winter emergency kit are available at the ReadyWisconsin website (readywisconsin.wi.gov). In addition, there are numerous winter storm maps and a history of Wisconsin’s winter weather produced by the National Weather Service.
Here are some facts about Wisconsin Winter’s.
The coldest temperature in the winter of 2011-12 was -31 at Upson (Iron County) on Jan
20, 2012.
Upson also had the most snow with 106.9 inches in the 2011-12 winter season, while
Newton 1S in Manitowoc County had the least with only 11.0 inches. Most of the central
and southern counties had only 20 to 35 inches which was well below normal.
Wisconsin’s all-time, lowest temperature is -55˚F on February 2 & 4, 1996, near
Couderay (Sawyer Co.). Readings of -30˚F or colder have been recorded in every month
from November through April. Of course, brief readings in the 50’s, 60′s and 70’s are
possible during winter as well!
Average annual snowfall ranges from 32 to 40 inches near the Illinois border to 135 to
168 inches in the Iron County snow-belt from Gurney to Hurley. The extremes are 31.9
inches in Beloit, Rock County to 167.5 inches in Hurley, Iron County, for the period of
1981-2010.
Greatest single storm total – Superior, 31.0 inches over Oct. 31-Nov. 2, 1991.
Greatest monthly total – Hurley, 103.5 inches in Jan. 1997.
Greatest seasonal total – Hurley, 301.8 inches in winter of 1996-97.
Deepest snow on ground (excluding drifts) – Hurley, 60.0 inches on Jan. 30, 1996.
See a 12 page information packet at WI Dept. of Military Affairs link.
October 31, 2012
Wisconsin