Madison - Extreme Daily Snowfall for Each Year
Here's a list of yearly records for the heaviest snowfalls and snowiest days in Madison, Wisconsin. The information easily answers questions such as: How much snow fell in a day during the biggest snowstorm of 2019? When was the last time Madison got more than a foot of snow in a single day?
This page gives the highest daily snowfall of each year in Madison and the date it occurred. If a date has a plus sign beside it that means the same amount of snow also fell on at least one other day earlier in the year.
These records go back to 1884, with just a few years missing data. Since then, the most amount of snow to land in one day at Madison is 17.3 inches (43.9 centimetres) on December 3, 1990.
Since 1940 the snowfall extremes were measured at Dane County Regional Airport. Before then, the weather station was in downtown Madison.
| Inches | Date | Centimetres |
|---|---|---|
| 12.1 | March 25, 2023 | 30.7 |
| 4.4 | December 09, 2022 | 11.2 |
| 4.8 | January 26, 2021 | 12.2 |
| 6.0 | February 09, 2020 | 15.2 |
| 8.3 | February 12, 2019 | 21.1 |
| 7.2 | April 18, 2018 | 18.3 |
| 5.2 | January 25, 2017 | 13.2 |
| 5.7 | December 04, 2016 | 14.5 |
| 5.6 | December 28, 2015 | 14.2 |
| 5.3 | November 24, 2014 | 13.5 |
| 6.4 | March 05, 2013 | 16.3 |
| 13.3 | December 20, 2012 | 33.8 |
| 8.3 | February 01, 2011 | 21.1 |
| 6.3 | January 07, 2010 | 16.0 |
| Inches | Date | Centimetres |
|---|---|---|
| 7.1 | December 08, 2009 | 18.0 |
| 11.9 | February 06, 2008 | 30.2 |
| 6.2 | December 01, 2007 | 15.7 |
| 6.1 | February 16, 2006 | 15.5 |
| 5.7 | January 06, 2005 | 14.5 |
| 3.8 | January 04, 2004 | 9.7 |
| 4.6 | March 04, 2003 | 11.7 |
| 6.6 | March 02, 2002 | 16.8 |
| 1.9 | February 14, 2001 | 4.8 |
| 8.2 | December 18, 2000 | 20.8 |
| 10.2 | January 02, 1999 | 25.9 |
| 6.8 | March 08, 1998 | 17.3 |
| 4.5 | December 03, 1997 | 11.4 |
| – | 1996 | – |
| 12.6 | January 19, 1995 | 32.0 |
| 11.6 | February 23, 1994 | 29.5 |
| 7.8 | February 21, 1993 | 19.8 |
| 5.3 | March 21, 1992 | 13.5 |
| 4.5 | January 11, 1991 | 11.4 |
| 17.3 | December 03, 1990 | 43.9 |
| 3.7 | March 03, 1989 | 9.4 |
| 8.1 | January 25, 1988 | 20.6 |
| 13.2 | December 15, 1987 | 33.5 |
| 5.6 | January 02, 1986 | 14.2 |
| 12.1 | December 01, 1985 | 30.7 |
| 5.1 | December 26, 1984 | 13.0 |
| 6.6 | February 02, 1983 | 16.8 |
| 8.0 | April 05, 1982 | 20.3 |
| 4.8 | February 10, 1981 | 12.2 |
| 4.0 | December 01, 1980 + | 10.2 |
| 7.3 | January 13, 1979 | 18.5 |
| 8.1 | December 31, 1978 | 20.6 |
| 7.0 | December 08, 1977 | 17.8 |
| 6.0 | February 21, 1976 | 15.2 |
| 4.9 | April 02, 1975 + | 12.4 |
| 5.0 | February 05, 1974 | 12.7 |
| 12.9 | April 09, 1973 | 32.8 |
| 10.9 | March 29, 1972 | 27.7 |
| 12.0 | March 18, 1971 | 30.5 |
| 12.7 | December 10, 1970 | 32.3 |
| 8.4 | December 07, 1969 | 21.3 |
| 4.3 | December 28, 1968 | 10.9 |
| 4.1 | February 05, 1967 | 10.4 |
| 7.1 | January 12, 1966 | 18.0 |
| 6.9 | March 17, 1965 | 17.5 |
| 5.2 | March 08, 1964 | 13.2 |
| 6.3 | March 05, 1963 | 16.0 |
| 4.7 | February 21, 1962 | 11.9 |
| 10.0 | March 08, 1961 | 25.4 |
| 5.6 | February 21, 1960 | 14.2 |
| 10.0 | March 05, 1959 | 25.4 |
| 2.0 | November 23, 1958 | 5.1 |
| 6.9 | March 18, 1957 | 17.5 |
| 4.9 | March 23, 1956 | 12.4 |
| 3.1 | March 22, 1955 | 7.9 |
| 5.9 | November 30, 1954 | 15.0 |
| 5.0 | March 03, 1953 + | 12.7 |
| 3.3 | December 29, 1952 + | 8.4 |
| 4.8 | November 03, 1951 + | 12.2 |
| 10.3 | February 13, 1950 | 26.2 |
| 3.9 | January 27, 1949 + | 9.9 |
| 7.6 | March 27, 1948 | 19.3 |
| 9.6 | January 29, 1947 | 24.4 |
| 5.4 | March 08, 1946 | 13.7 |
| 5.4 | December 13, 1945 | 13.7 |
| 3.4 | December 10, 1944 | 8.6 |
| 4.2 | January 15, 1943 | 10.7 |
| 4.2 | January 31, 1942 | 10.7 |
| 3.0 | December 26, 1941 + | 7.6 |
| 8.5 | November 30, 1940 | 21.6 |
| 6.1 | March 05, 1939 | 15.5 |
| 6.0 | January 24, 1938 | 15.2 |
| 5.7 | March 24, 1937 | 14.5 |
| 5.6 | February 03, 1936 | 14.2 |
| 6.1 | March 07, 1935 | 15.5 |
| 3.6 | December 03, 1934 | 9.1 |
| 4.0 | March 20, 1933 | 10.2 |
| 3.6 | March 01, 1932 | 9.1 |
| 6.7 | March 27, 1931 | 17.0 |
| 6.0 | January 09, 1930 | 15.2 |
| 8.4 | January 05, 1929 | 21.3 |
| 5.9 | November 30, 1928 | 15.0 |
| 3.6 | April 01, 1927 | 9.1 |
| 6.3 | February 25, 1926 | 16.0 |
| 5.4 | March 13, 1925 | 13.7 |
| 5.8 | March 06, 1924 | 14.7 |
| 8.2 | March 12, 1923 | 20.8 |
| 6.0 | December 14, 1922 | 15.2 |
| 8.2 | April 16, 1921 | 20.8 |
| 3.4 | December 25, 1920 | 8.6 |
| 4.2 | February 14, 1919 | 10.7 |
| 7.5 | December 24, 1918 | 19.1 |
| 6.2 | March 12, 1917 | 15.7 |
| 11.0 | March 22, 1916 | 27.9 |
| 4.2 | March 05, 1915 | 10.7 |
| 6.7 | February 06, 1914 | 17.0 |
| 7.0 | January 07, 1913 | 17.8 |
| 11.5 | February 26, 1912 | 29.2 |
| 5.5 | February 05, 1911 | 14.0 |
| 12.1 | January 13, 1910 | 30.7 |
| 10.6 | December 12, 1909 | 26.9 |
| 5.0 | January 31, 1908 | 12.7 |
| 4.0 | April 07, 1907 | 10.2 |
| 6.4 | February 13, 1906 | 16.3 |
| – | 1905 | – |
| 7.0 | December 27, 1904 | 17.8 |
| 6.0 | February 04, 1903 | 15.2 |
| 3.5 | December 03, 1902 | 8.9 |
| 3.5 | March 10, 1901 + | 8.9 |
| 4.5 | November 06, 1900 | 11.4 |
| 5.0 | March 25, 1899 | 12.7 |
| 9.4 | January 20, 1898 | 23.9 |
| 5.5 | December 04, 1897 | 14.0 |
| 4.2 | January 23, 1896 | 10.7 |
| 2.9 | December 19, 1895 | 7.4 |
| 2.8 | November 09, 1894 | 7.1 |
| 3.5 | November 27, 1893 + | 8.9 |
| 6.4 | December 13, 1892 | 16.3 |
| 5.3 | March 06, 1891 | 13.5 |
| 7.1 | February 27, 1890 | 18.0 |
| 7.5 | January 09, 1889 | 19.1 |
| 4.0 | January 12, 1888 | 10.2 |
| 10.0 | December 21, 1887 | 25.4 |
| 11.0 | March 21, 1886 | 27.9 |
| 5.0 | December 09, 1885 + | 12.7 |
| 5.0 | January 23, 1884 | 12.7 |
Reference
Jay Lawrimore. 2016. Global Summary of the Year, Version 1.0. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information.