With yet another storm system rolling through the Midwest this weekend and today, December 15^th is becoming a big weather day in southeastern Wisconsin . A year ago today a winter storm dropped 6.2 inches of snow in Milwaukee .

This is also the anniversary of the 1987 powerful winter storm that dumped 13.1” of heavy wet snow in Milwaukee and created wind gusts up to 70mph. At the height of the storm, thunder and lightning were reported along with near white-out conditions. Ten people died from heart attacks due to shoveling the heavy snow. Port Washington and Fond du Lac had 10” and Madison had 13.2”. Parts of south central Wisconsin received up to 17 inches of snow.

With Christmas just 10 days away, it is safe bet that SE Wisconsin gets a White Christmas. It is not a guarantee just because we live in Wisconsin . While the northern half of the state has better than a 90% chance of a White Christmas, most of SE Wisconsin has a 60% chance and from Milwaukee to the Illinois border the probability is about 50%.

Milwaukee did not have a White Christmas in 2004, but there was 2” on the ground in 2005. We had a brown Christmas in 2006 despite receiving 10.1” of snow on the 1^st. Last Christmas was white, but barely with only an inch on the ground…that is after 23.4” fell the first 23 days of the month.