Wisconsin

This will almost certainly be the warmest winter ever in Wisconsin’s recorded history

Published

2 years ago

February 14, 2024

This will almost certainly be the warmest winter ever in Wisconsin’s recorded history

We are well on our way to what will almost certainly be Wisconsin’s warmest winter in recorded history.

The National Weather Service defines winter as the months of December, January and February. Wisconsin’s two-month average of temperatures from December 2023 and January 2024 was 11.1 degrees above average, said local NWS meteorologist Andy Boxell, which already puts this winter “pretty far ahead” of all others on record.

The next-warmest winter was 2001-2002, which was 10.4 degrees above average by the end of January. This is followed by the winter of 1931-1932, which was 8.7 degrees above average by the same point in the year.

At 10.9 degrees above normal, December 2023 was Wisconsin’s warmest last month of the year on record, according to the State Climatology Office.

Additionally, this month, we’ve seen the warmest start to February on record in Milwaukee, with high temps in at least the upper 30s (and some days as high as the 50s) each day since the month began. For context, normal high temperatures this time of year are between 31 and 33 degrees.

“With how warm we’re starting out February, it’s fair to say that this will likely be the state’s warmest December-January-February of all time,” Boxell said.

“11.1 versus 10.4 doesn’t seem like a lot in the grand scheme of things, but that’s a pretty big difference to have 0.7 degrees. And now, we’re halfway through the month of February, and we’re well above average for February, so far. So, it’s pretty likely that we’re going to finish the winter as the warmest on average for the state.”

Despite the cold snap, 2024 saw one of Wisconsin’s warmest Januarys of all time

It turns out, every month this winter has been record-setting.

NWS announced Monday that January 2024 was Wisconsin’s 10th-warmest January on record, according to records dating all the way back to 1871. The month was 8.5 degrees warmer, on average, than normal. This record was set despite nine days of well-below-normal temperatures during mid-January’s frigid cold snap.

Only one state, Minnesota, had a warmer January. For our neighbors to the northwest, the month was 9.2 degrees warmer, on average.

Without the cold snap, January no doubt would have finished higher in the top 10 for Wisconsin, Boxell said.

According to data from the State Climatology Office, temperatures in Milwaukee were above normal Jan. 1 through 13, and then again Jan. 22 through 31. Jan. 24 and 25 even set records for the highest daily low temperatures on record ― 36 and 37 degrees, respectively.

What were the top 10 warmest Januarys in Wisconsin history?

According to NWS data, Wisconsin’s warmest January occurred in 2006. It was 15.3 degrees warmer than normal, on average. This is followed by January 1990, which was 11.7 degrees warmer than normal.

Here are Wisconsin’s top 10 warmest Januarys on record, according to NWS records dating back to 1871:

2006
1990
2002
1944
2023
1933
2020
1931
1989
2024

Why has this been the warmest winter in Wisconsin history?

The primary culprit behind Wisconsin’s unseasonably warm winter is a weather phenomenon known as El Niño.

An El Niño event is caused when sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean warm to above average for several months. During an El Niño, the polar jet stream is shifted northward, which limits cold air intrusions from the north, NWS explains.

In general, El Niño brings above-average temperatures to the northern United States, which often result in below-average snowfall in moderate-to-strong El Niño years.

Last year, local NWS said this winter’s El Niño was on track to be one of the strongest on record.

According to the weather service, during the past seven winters with strong El Niño effects, temperatures across southern Wisconsin were “near average to 6 degrees above average.” Additionally, snowfall has been as much as 18 inches below average in southern Wisconsin during strong El Niño winters.

This winter, from Dec. 1 through Feb. 12, Milwaukee has received 16.2 inches of snow, Boxell said. Average winter snowfall by this time of year is nearly double that, 30.5 inches, meaning we’re at a deficit of 14.3 inches.

It is important to remember that El Niño conditions ― warmer-than-average temps and below-average snowfall ― apply to the winter season average. Individual days can still see lots of snow, as Milwaukee saw in early January, or below-normal temperatures, as we saw in the middle of last month.

More: Wisconsin is experiencing a historic lack of snow this month

More: El Niño looks strong this year. That could mean a warmer, and wetter, Wisconsin winter.

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Wisconsin

Wisconsin Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 results for Feb. 27, 2026

Published

6 hours ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

Wisconsin Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 results for Feb. 27, 2026

The Wisconsin Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at Feb. 27, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from Feb. 27 drawing

11-18-39-43-67, Mega Ball: 23

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from Feb. 27 drawing

Midday: 6-6-3

Evening: 9-7-8

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from Feb. 27 drawing

Midday: 6-4-5-0

Evening: 1-9-8-8

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning All or Nothing numbers from Feb. 27 drawing

Midday: 01-02-03-09-11-12-13-15-16-17-19

Evening: 03-05-06-07-08-12-14-15-16-17-22

Check All or Nothing payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Badger 5 numbers from Feb. 27 drawing

08-10-11-21-25

Check Badger 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning SuperCash numbers from Feb. 27 drawing

06-21-22-26-27-30, Doubler: N

Check SuperCash payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

Prizes up to $599: Can be claimed at any Wisconsin Lottery retailer.
Prizes from $600 to $199,999: Can be claimed in person at a Lottery Office. By mail, send the signed ticket and a completed claim form available on the Wisconsin Lottery claim page to: Prizes, PO Box 777 Madison, WI 53774.
Prizes of $200,000 or more: Must be claimed in person at the Madison Lottery office. Call the Lottery office prior to your visit: 608-261-4916.

Can Wisconsin lottery winners remain anonymous?

No, according to the Wisconsin Lottery. Due to the state’s open records laws, the lottery must, upon request, release the name and city of the winner. Other information about the winner is released only with the winner’s consent.

When are the Wisconsin Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 10:00 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
Super Cash: 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
Pick 3 (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
Pick 3 (Evening): 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
Pick 4 (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
Pick 4 (Evening): 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
All or Nothing (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
All or Nothing (Evening): 9 p.m. CT daily.
Megabucks: 9:00 p.m. CT on Wednesday and Saturday.
Badger 5: 9:00 p.m. CT daily.

That lucky feeling: Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.

Feeling lucky? WI man wins $768 million Powerball jackpot **

WI Lottery history: Top 10 Powerball and Mega Million jackpots

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Wisconsin editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Wisconsin

Wisconsin DNR opens 2026 elk season applications March 1, with more Central Zone tags

Published

18 hours ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

Wisconsin DNR opens 2026 elk season applications March 1, with more Central Zone tags

(WLUK) — Applications for Wisconsin’s 2026 elk season open next week.

The DNR says the application period begins Sunday, Mar 1 and will close on Sunday, May 31.

Selected applicants will be notified in early June.

For the third year in a row, there will be increased opportunity to pursue elk within the Central Elk Management Zone (formerly Black River Elk Range), as additional bull elk and antlerless harvest authorizations will be available through the state licensing system. The 2026 elk quota for the Central Elk Management Zone is six bull elk and six antlerless elk, up from a quota of four bull and five antlerless in 2025.

The Northern Elk Management Zone (formerly Clam Lake Elk Range) quota will be eight bull elk, subject to a 50% declaration by Ojibwe tribes.

During the open application period, applicants will have the choice to submit one bull elk license application and/or one antlerless elk license application, separately. Applicants can apply to any unit grouping with an associated quota for that authorization type (bull or antlerless). The order of drawing will be bull licenses first, followed by antlerless licenses. As a reminder, only one resident elk hunting license can be issued or transferred to a person in their lifetime, regardless of authorization type.

In 2026, there will be one continuous hunting season, opening Saturday, Oct. 17, and continuing through Sunday, Dec. 13, eliminating the split-season structure that was in effect from 2018-2025. This offers elk hunters more opportunities and flexibility to pursue elk in Wisconsin.

Wisconsin residents can submit elk license applications online through the Go Wild license portal or in person at a license sales agent. The application fee is $10 for each of the bull elk and antlerless elk drawings and is limited to one application per person, per authorization type. The DNR recommends that all applicants check and update their contact information to ensure contact with successful applicants.

For each application fee, $7 goes directly to elk management, monitoring and research. These funds also enhance elk habitat, which benefits elk and many other wildlife. If selected in the drawing, an elk hunting license costs $49.

Before obtaining an elk hunting license, all selected hunters must participate in a Wisconsin elk hunter education course. The class covers Wisconsin elk history, hunting regulations, biology, behavior and scouting/hunting techniques.

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Wisconsin

Winter transition will bring spring swings to Northeast Wisconsin

Published

1 day ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

Winter transition will bring spring swings to Northeast Wisconsin

(WLUK) — Snow remains deep across parts of the Northwoods and the Upper Peninsula, even though much of Northeast Wisconsin has seen notable snow-melting heading toward spring.

It’s connected to a shift in Pacific climate patterns.

As of Thursday, 75.1% of the Northern Great Lakes area was covered by snow. Snow depth across the Northwoods and the U.P. ranges from 20 to 30 inches, with areas along and north of Highway 8 in Wisconsin at about 20 inches.

But farther south, significant snowmelt has occurred over the last few weeks across Northeast Wisconsin and the southern half of the state.

Looking ahead, an ENSO-neutral spring is looking likely, meaning Pacific Ocean temperatures are not notably above or below average. Conditions tend to be more normal and seasonal, though that does not guarantee typical weather.

La Niña occurs when the Pacific Ocean has below-average temperatures across the central and east-central portions of the equatorial region. El Niño is the opposite, with warmer ocean temperatures in those regions. Those shifts influence weather across the United States and globally.

In Wisconsin, a La Niña spring is usually colder and wetter, while an El Niño spring brings warmer and drier conditions. During a neutral period, neither El Niño nor La Niña is in control and weather can swing either direction.

Despite the snowpack up north, the 2026 spring outlook from Green Bay’s National Weather Service leans toward a low flood risk, because ongoing drought in parts of the state is helping to absorb snowmelt.

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Dry conditions are also raising fire concerns in several parts of the country. Low snowfall in states out west is increasing wildfire concerns, and those areas are already experiencing drought. Wildfire activity can increase quickly if above-normal temperatures and below-normal precipitation continue into spring. About half of the lower 48 states are in drought this week — an increase of 16% since January.

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