West Central Wisconsin - WI04

The continental climate results in wide and frequent variations in temperature. Typically, storms move eastward or northeastward into the area, bringing warmer weather and supplying moisture. These patterns are usually followed by cooler air from Canada. Winters are cold and humid. Summers are warm with moderate humidities, while periods of hot and humid weather occur occasionally, usually lasting no more than a couple weeks. Most of the division’s precipitation falls during the main growing season, from May through September. Most summer rainfall occurs during scattered thunderstorms. Some damage from heavy rains, high winds, and hail occurs each year, but tornadoes are infrequent, usually weak, and short-lived. Snow is abundant and is the predominant form of precipitation in winter. Heavier snow occasionally falls atop ridgelines. Anecdotally, a belt of frequently occuring freezing rain has been described just south of La Crosse, at the southern extent of the division. But freezing rain data is challenging to interpret.