Actions

Beaver Dam hit the hardest by spring snow in Southeast Wisconsin

Posted at 5:58 PM, Apr 16, 2018
and last updated 2018-04-16 19:43:49-04

Beaver Dam had the highest snow total in all of Southeast Wisconsin, with just under a foot of snow. 

The Beaver Dam School District did not cancel school Monday, but did delay the start of school by two hours. 

Icicles are taking the place of spring flowers, and cars and walkways are buried.

“Mother Nature is playing a big joke on us and I don't think it's all that funny,” said Chuck Phelps.

We caught up with the 81-year-old as he was shoveling his driveway. 

“In my 81 years, I can’t remember many spring snowstorms this bad,” he said. “This snow is wet and heavy. It’s the worst kind. Plus, there’s a big layer of ice underneath.”

Just a few blocks away, Dawn Bryan was literally “snowed in” over the weekend. 

“The snow was so high, we couldn’t open the back door of our house,” she said.

To make matters worse, her snow blower broke from working overtime.  

“I give up,” she said. “I’m just going to throw some salt down and call it a day. I’m dreaming of an escape. Maybe I can win the lottery or Publisher’s Clearing House. I have a place in Florida in mind. I want this to be my last winter here. Or, should I say last spring?”

But this snow is a dream for others.

“It really is our meat and gravy,” said John Fanshaw, who works for the family business Johnnie’s 66 and 24 Hour Towing, which also does salting and plowing.

He says this April blast really helps business after a fairly slow winter. He’s been working non-stop since Friday.

“When we’re slow in the shop, it can really help us regenerate revenue,” he says.

Pizza delivery drivers, and other food delivery services, are also seeing a boom in business right now. More people order in, so they don’t have to go out in these conditions.

Many homeowners here just hoping this large amount of snow doesn’t cause basement flooding as it melts.