As people scramble to keep up with the latest dump of snow, the preliminary numbers from the National Weather Service finds Rhinelander at the top of February's snowfall pile.
61.5 inches of snow fell in February on the city, besting second-place Eagle River by roughly an inch and a half. The Rice Reservoir was third at 57.5 inches, Argonne at 56 inches and Lac Vieux Desert at 54.
National Weather Service meteorologist Jeff Last in Green Bay says Rhinelander's 61.5 inches is far and away a record...
"...Which smashed the old record of 39.5 set back in 1937. In Wausau, a similiar story, 54 inches of snow, breaking the old record of 34.5 inches. All over the Northwoods and central Wisconsin we saw records go by the wayside in February..."
As if we haven't had enough, Last says more is on the way this weekend.
"...We're watching this system pretty carefully, but it looks like there could be some to add to over the 100 inches we've seen so far this winter here in Rhinelander. Perhaps, after that, there could be a break before more precipitation in the middle of next week. This active weather pattern has been affecting us since the last week in January and there isn't much of a let up in sight...."
Some of the other area totals for February include 53 inches in Phelps and the Willow Reservoir, St. Germain 52 inches, Minocqua and Land O' Lakes 49, Antigo and White Lake 43.
We have a link to the numbershere.
