Mornin' to the 10 year-old-Sconnie that caught this 50+ inch Muskie. This is the Wiscampsin Weekly - the email that gets you in the know on the Wisconsin outdoors in 5 minutes or less. New reader? Subscribe here.

This week’s weekly:

• Wisconsin’s dismal winter ❄️

• Martens spotted for the first time in 100 years 👀 

• Plant hardiness zones 🌱 

Wisconsin’s Winter: What Da Heck?

Way up ‘der in Duluth, the Canadian vessel Nordika Desgagnes set sail from Twin Ports with a haul of beet pulp pellets, her bow pointed for Ireland.

The date? December 29th, 2023.

Her voyage marks the latest departure of an oceangoing vessel since officials first began record-keeping when the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System opened in 1959!

Indeed, on New Year’s Day, the Great Lakes hit a new record-low for ice coverage (just 0.4%).

What’s going on? Where’s the cold? Where’s the snow? Should we keep raking the leaves?

Wisconsin’s Winter:

• El Niño and climate trends are producing more rain, less snow, and milder temps

• Last month, the state experienced temps 10 degrees F higher than avg

• Winter has warmed twice as fast as other seasons in Wisconsin

El Niño + climate trends = grande problemas

El Niño. We meet again.

It’s a climate phenomenon that causes warmer surface temps in the Pacific Ocean, weakening or reversing trade winds, and disrupting our “normal” weather patterns.

El Niño last from 2 years to a decade, with no two events being the same.

Let’s look at some stats:

• Half of he last six strong El Niños caused warmer temps in WI

• In six out of the seven recent El Niños, snowfall was near or below average (though one caused snowfall 18 inches above average)

Most of the time, El Niño means warmer temps and mostly average snowfall.

But when you combine it with our recent climate trends…

(Better grab your rain boots.)

WI climate trends

To spare you from reading the 100 page report from the Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts, we’ll summarize it below.

• Winter has warmed twice as fast as other WI seasons

• The average daily temps have become three degrees warmer since the 1950s

• Wisconsin has become wetter - averaging 17% more precipitation (about 5 inches) since 1950

The Mississippi River Valley especially has seen warmer temps. LaCrosse just recorded its second-warmest December on record!

And how does all this open water affect our weather? Open water typically means more lake affect snow, but when temps are mild, it just creates more rain.

Recreaters in trouble 

For ‘Sconnies looking to recreate outdoors this winter, December looked like…

Snowmobiling → ATVing

Ice fishing → Open water fishing (still filling da’ freezer!)

Nordic skiing → Rolling skiing

The American Birkie (celebrating its 50th anniversary and draws in 40,000 racers) saw this coming long ago, and have been heavily investing in snow-making machines since 2017.

But not all events and businesses have a Plan B, as areas up north experienced temps 12 degrees F above the 30-year average in December.

Will Snowmy Kromer, the 30-foot snowman at the Let's Minocqua Visitors Bureau make an appearance this year?

Let is snow (please)

For the weather nerds that want the latest on precipitation, snowfall, and average temps, check out the Wisconsin State Climatology Office’s summaries, charts, or data going back to 1890.

For everyone else, lets say a prayer we see some colder temps and more snow this winter.

Now get out ‘der!

Other great Wiscampsin reads…

Wisconsin's must-see frozen waterfalls

How Lake Michigan's Thermocline Works

The American Birkeibiner and Cross Country Skiing in Wisconsin

Shop Wiscampsin

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Wiscampsin Weekly Poll

January still takes the cake for most monthly avg snowfall in WI over the past 30-years, however over the next 30 years it is looking like February could steal the cake!

Only 29% of readers got January right, with February receiving the most votes at 49%.

What are first-order cities?

Nuts and Seeds 🌰 

👀 Martens spotted: For the first time in probably a century or more, Wisconsin’s only state endangered mammal, the American marten, was spotted on Lake Superior’s Madeline Island. The stunning critters are difficult to spot, with biologists estimating only 30 to 80 living in the northern Wisconsin and Lake Superior islands area.

🌱 New Plant Hardiness Zones: For the first time since 2012, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has updated the Plant Hardiness Zones. This map details which plants will survive and thrive throughout certain zones, based on average climate trends. Wisconsin welcomes a new zone for the 1st time, 6a. Two green thumbs up!

♿️ Accessible cabin reservations open up: Yesterday, the DNR started accepting reservations for accessible cabins on Wisconsin State Park properties. These 10 properties are only available to those with disabilities and their guests, and must be reserved ahead of time. Save your spot now!

 Sponsored by our Wiscampsin Shop!

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*And as always, 1% of profits will go to the Friends of Wisconsin State Parks.

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Meme of the Week 😂

A review from the trail… Thanks for reading, neighbor!