Snowfall (Milwaukee, Madison: how much, live, move to)

[JMadison]

Hi All,
No doubt MKE gets snow. Maybe even lots of it, LOL! But, is it similar to the Denver situation where it melts off relatively quickly, or does it stay around and build up from snowfall to snowfall?

[almost3am]

It builds up, although most of the snow melted last week---what a nice week it was. Anyway, at one point I had a snow bank at the end of my driveway taller than me (I'm 6'1). 2nd year in a row. It can, at times, build from late December through Feb. January weather really sucks, February this year has been better, but I view this as a typical sucky month, and expect March to be frustrating (you think it is getting warmer, and then you get a foot of snow).

[EnjoyEP]

Originally Posted by JMadison

Hi All,
No doubt MKE gets snow. Maybe even lots of it, LOL! But, is it similar to the Denver situation where it melts off relatively quickly, or does it stay around and build up from snowfall to snowfall?

Generally the latter, although sure, even here, once in a blue moon we'll get an unusually mild day or two (or, more likely a few days of melting rain) that'll melt things.

But this is nothing like Denver. Nothing. Actually, the city of Denver itself (eg: not the foothills) gets more average annual snowfall than the city of Milwaukee (people never realize this if they are familiar with Denver). Denver averages *in the city* about 60 inches of snowfall annually, whereas Milwaukee's annual average is under 50 inches.

However, as you say, snowfall often (typically?) melts quite quickly in Denver. You'll have weeks in Denver where they pick up 14 or 16 inches of snow, but then the following week they'll have a week of temps in the 50s and 60s and the snow just burns off so quickly.

Here, it does tend to stick around much, much longer and for consistently stretched out periods of time. We just don't get those weeks in the 50s and 60s. Just doesn't happen up here. Up here, it is pretty cool to get a couple of winter days in the 40s, and if you do like one day last week where we got near 60, it is a real treat (but an aberration).

Snowfall, I will say, tends to usually be more "hit and miss" here than Denver. For instance, last February we had about 26 inches of snowfall in the month. Now, this February, we've had about 2 inches total and huge swashes of grass are again exposed (until we get the 4 to 8 inches headed our way Wednesday).

Some winters here can garner only 25 inches of snow, and some can garner 60 (or like last winter, 100).

Cold is a constant here in the winters from winter to winter. Snow is more variable.

[ArtVandelay919]

Related question -- how much of a requirement is an front-wheel/all-wheel/four-wheel drive vehicle for Milwaukee winters? I hate getting stuck. I have a rear-wheel drive vehicle and assume I'll have to change if I move to MKE. Thanks.

[slamont61]

Originally Posted by ArtVandelay919

Related question -- how much of a requirement is an front-wheel/all-wheel/four-wheel drive vehicle for Milwaukee winters? I hate getting stuck. I have a rear-wheel drive vehicle and assume I'll have to change if I move to MKE. Thanks.

None of that matters actually. The roadways are cleared pretty quickly and when it's bad, just stay off the road. Many of the locals ignore this action and you WILL see car after car off the road in a ditch. Simply obey the common sense rules, drive careful. In a winter storm watch or warning, stay in unless you need to drive.

I never had anything but Front Wheel drive on my cars and I had a rear wheel drive Pick-up and never had a problem.

[Fishtacos]

As others have stated, Milwaukee just isn't very mild in winter, and rarely gets warm enough to have big temperature changes. Streets get cleared quickly, especially main ones. Things don't shut down so quickly, so often as some other places not as used to it and less equipped to handle it.

The snow gets packed hard, for months, which can look pretty in some spots, and in more traveled areas it can be a dark gray, with lots of salt. Wear some boots or you'll ruin those pants.

[Hntr]

Originally Posted by ArtVandelay919

Related question -- how much of a requirement is an front-wheel/all-wheel/four-wheel drive vehicle for Milwaukee winters? I hate getting stuck. I have a rear-wheel drive vehicle and assume I'll have to change if I move to MKE. Thanks.

I lived in Milwaukee for almost thirty years, always had rear wheel drive on my vehicles, never got stuck once. Good tires are a must, snow tires aren't.
The worst that can happen is you will get plowed in if you park your car on the street. Snow emergency days you have to park off the street or you might get a ticket and plowed in.

As slamont61 said use common sense, slow down, give yourself extra time to get where you're going and you shouldn't have any problem. Milwaukee is very good about keep the streets plowed.