Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley declared a snow emergency for Monday, March 16, following consultation with the Milwaukee County Office of Emergency Management, according to a statement released on March 15.
The declaration comes as the National Weather Service issued a Blizzard Warning for all of Southeast Wisconsin until 4:00 PM on Monday. The county is expected to experience significant snowfall and high winds, creating dangerous whiteout conditions and making travel extremely hazardous.
According to the county’s Administrative Manual of Operating Procedures, all non-essential departments will be closed during a snow emergency to ensure the safety of employees and the public. As a result, several facilities—including the Milwaukee County Courthouse, Vel R. Phillips Youth & Family Justice Center, Milwaukee County Zoo, and Marcia P. Coggs Health and Human Services Center (except for Behavioral Health Mobile Crisis Teams)—will not open on Monday. Essential departments and positions will continue their duties throughout the emergency.
Unsheltered residents are encouraged to call 2-1-1 for information about nearby warming centers or to request housing services through coordinated intake.
In related community data, Oak Creek High School had the highest enrollment in Milwaukee County during the 2023-24 school year with 2,223 students; HAPA-Hmong American Peace Academy K3-12 followed with 1,894 students; Franklin High School was third with 1,606 students according to state education data. Of the total student population of 116,758 in that period, Black students made up about one-third at 33% (38,530), while white students were the second largest group at 29% (33,860), and Hispanic students were third at 24.5% (28,606) according to state reports. Multiracial students accounted for approximately 5.5% of enrollment as reported by state education officials, while Pacific Islander students represented just 0.1%, making them the least represented ethnic group in county schools according to official figures.
The snow emergency highlights both immediate concerns over public safety during severe weather events and ongoing demographic trends within Milwaukee County’s educational system.
