(WFRV) – There is no doubt that winter in Wisconsin can be brutal. As Winter Weather Awareness Week continues in Wisconsin, it is important to understand how our winters are trending in our area.  

NOAA released our updated 30-year climate averages earlier this year, so what are some of the takeaways for winter in Northeast Wisconsin. 

Let’s start by taking a look at the old 30-year averages in snowfall for Green Bay, Appleton, and Sturgeon Bay. Yearly snowfall average was over 50 inches in Green Bay and Sturgeon Bay. December through February is considered winter and all 3 locations had over 30 inches of snow with old climate normals.  

Fast-forwarding to the updated 1991-2020 climate averages, each location gained both on the annual and winter snowfall averages. Green Bay, Appleton, and Sturgeon Bay now average 3 to 4 inches of more snow in the winter months.  

Month by month in Green Bay, the old climate averages had our snowiest months in December and January with over 13 inches of snow in each month. The new climate averages show the biggest growth in snowfall by 2.1 inches in the month of February.

January is now the snowiest month with over 14 inches of snowfall. November shrunk when it came to average snowfall. 

The trend is clear. Our winters are seeing more snowfall in Northeast Wisconsin. But, what way are temperatures trending? 

Green Bay had our average winter temperature go up about 2 degrees compared to the old climate averages. Temperatures also generally went up for the lakeshore and Fox Cities.

So not only are winters getting snowier, but they are also getting warmer in Northeast Wisconsin with the updated 30-year climate averages.