Alert archive / Wyoming / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1997

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 4, NWS Riverton, WY

June 1, 1997Natrona County, Wyoming

NWS Riverton, WY issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jun 1, 1997, 7:36 PM MDT for Natrona County, Wyoming. It was in force for 49 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jun 1, 1997, 7:36 PM MDT (01:36 UTC)
Expired
Jun 1, 1997, 8:25 PM MDT
In force
49 min
Issued by
NWS Riverton, WY
Area
Whole counties

County Natrona County, WY

The radar

The Riverton/Lander radar (KRIW), 137 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:40 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Jun 1, 2:45 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Riverton, WY (KRIW), launched 00:00Z, 1.6 hours before the alert went out and 131 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Riverton, WY at 00:00Z on 1997-06-02Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 157 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Riverton, WY at 00:00Z on 1997-06-02The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 22 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
157 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-32 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
2187 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
48 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
22 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
79 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

251 
WUUS01 KRIW 020139 RRA
SVRRIW
WYC025-020225-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY
736 PM MDT SUN JUN 1 1997

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR
  EASTERN NATRONA COUNTY - EAST CENTRAL WYOMING

* UNTIL 825 PM MDT
 
* SOME LOCATIONS AFFECTED

  INTERSTATE 25 EAST OF CASPER

* AT 735 PM MDT RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 5 MILES SOUTHWEST
  OF CASPER MOVING NORTH 25 MPH.

* THE STORM WILL BE OVER INTERSTATE 25 EAST OF CASPER AT 745 PM MDT.
 
WHEN THUNDERSTORMS ARE OCCURRING...PEOPLE SHOULD MOVE INSIDE A
STRONG BUILDING.  DO NOT STAND BY WINDOWS.  DO NOT USE TELEPHONES OR
ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES UNLESS IN AN EMERGENCY UNTIL THE STORM HAS
PASSED.  MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT DRIVE INTO LOW WATER CROSSINGS.

WCJIN-WYNE

KAISER

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Riverton, WY wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Jun 1, 2:41 PM MDT, 4 hours 55 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 1, 2:41 PM MDT, 4 hours 55 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY
240 AM MDT SUN JUNE 01 1997

MAIN FCST PRBLM INVOLVES THE INTENSITY OF THE THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE
EAST HALF OF WY AND THE EASTERN PORTION OF THE CWFA. RIW 88-D
INDICATING TSRA VCNTY OF JFRY CITY AND S JOHNSON CO. AS THESE STORMS
MOVE EAST FROM DEWPOINTS IN THE 40S TO THE 50S VCNTY OF CPR...THESE
STORMS SHOULD BLOSSOM INTO STORMS ATLEAST APPROACHING SEVERE. SO FAR
WE HAVE RECEIVED REPORTS OF PEA SIZE HAIL FROM S JOHNSON CO FROM
STORMS WITH VILS MOSTLY IN THE 40S AND 60 DBZ. WITH IMPRESSIVE
VV...SFC CONVERGENCE...THETA E RIDGE ...AND LIFTED INDICES BETWEEN -4
AND -6 OVER EASTERN WY...ANY STORMS MOVING EAST INTO THAT REGION WILL
INTENSIFY. WOULD EXPECT STORMS TO APPROACH SEVERE LEVELS IN EXTREME E
PORTION OF CWFA LATE THIS AFT/EVE.

ACTIVITY HAS QUIETED DOWN OVER CENTRAL AND WESTERN WY AS COLD FRONT
CONTINUES TO SLIDE SE. LIFTED INDICES BETWEEN -2 AND ZERO WITH SFC DIV
THERE. PREFER ETA SOLN OVER FASTER NGM/AVN BASED ON ETA HANDLING OF
TIMING OF ASCT SHORT WAVE SO FAR. ETA STARTS A WEAK LOW LEVEL
CIRCULATION OVER N CENTRAL CO AND SE WY BY 00Z MON. GUIDANCE TURNS
WINDS MORE N AND NE AND LOWERS CEILINGS AROUND 00Z MON IN RESPONSE TO
THIS. WOULD EXPECT MORE EXTENSIVE CLOUDINESS AND LIGHTER SHOWERS TO
CONTINUE TONIGHT. VERY WEAK SHORT WAVE AND ASCT INCR POCKET OF 500-
800MB LYR AVE MSTR MOVES THR*OUGH MON SO WOULD CONT SCT TSRA MON AFT
BUT MORE GARDEN VARIETY WITH MORE CAA AT LOWER LEVELS STABILIZING
AIRMASS SOMEWHAT. AGREE WITH FWC TEMPS TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION CAA
AND CLOUDINESS.

LIPSON

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jun 1, 3:51 PM MDT, 3 hours 45 minutes before
WYZ015-022>025-027-028-012250-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY
350 PM MDT SUN JUN 1 1997

...THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO DEVELOP OVER SOUTHERN AND EAST CENTRAL
WYOMING...

AT 340 PM MDT RIVERTON WEATHER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
CONTINUING TO MOVE EAST ACROSS SOUTHEAST JOHNSON COUNTY IN THE VICINITY
OF LINCH. ANOTHER CLUSTER OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS LOCATED OVER SOUTHERN
NATRONA COUNTY IN THE VICINITY OF ALCOVA RESERVOIR. A NEW CLUSTER OF
THUNDERSTORMS HAS ALSO FORMED OVER EASTERN SWEETWATER COUNTY. THESE
STORMS ARE MOVING EAST AT 20 TO 30 MPH AND SHOULD BE AFFECTING CASPER
MOUNTAIN WITHIN THE HOUR.

SMALL HAIL...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...BRIEF HEAVY RAIN AND AND STRONG GUSTY
WINDS CAN BE EXPECTED WITH SOME OF THESE STORMS.

PEOPLE OUT ON ALCOVA RESERVOIR SHOULD HEAD TO SHORE EMMEDIATELY AND
MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY AT THE FIRST SIGN OF THREATENING WEATHER
SUCH AS...TOWERING THUNDERHEADS...DARKENING SKIES...LIGHTNING AND
INCREASING WINDS. TUNE IN NOAA WEATHER RADIO
OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR TV STATION FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION.

WCJIN-WYSW-WYNE

LIPSON
Special weather statement, Jun 1, 5:20 PM MDT, 2 hours 16 minutes before
WYZ013>015-022>028-020100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY
520 PM MDT SUN JUN 1 1997

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR NATRONA COUNTY UNTIL 9 PM...

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS SOUTHWEST WYOMING...

AT 515 PM WEATHER RADAR IN RIVERTON CONTINUED TO SHOW STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS MOST OF SWEETWATER COUNTY.  THE STRONGEST STORMS
WERE ABOUT 5 MILES NORTHWEST OF WAMSUTTER.  THE STORMS WERE MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.  THESE STORMS WERE PRODUCING EXTENSIVE DANGEROUS
CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...SMALL HAIL AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS.  THE
STORMS WILL LIKELY MOVE THROUGH SOUTHEASTERN FREMONT COUNTY AND
THROUGH JEFFREY CITY BY 630 PM AND THEN INTO SOUTHERN NATRONA COUNTY.

THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH MUCH OF THE EVENING ACROSS CENTRAL
AND SOUTHWEST WYOMING.  IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA
SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY.  ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND
ON NOAA WEATHER RADIO...LOCAL CABLE TELEVISION OR ON THE INTERNET AT
HTTP://RIW.WEATHER.WYOMING.COM

WCJIN-WYSW-WYNE-WYNW
GK
Special weather statement, Jun 1, 5:22 PM MDT, 2 hours 14 minutes before
WYZ013>015-022>028-020100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY
520 PM MDT SUN JUN 1 1997

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR NATRONA COUNTY UNTIL 9 PM...

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS SOUTHWEST WYOMING...

AT 515 PM WEATHER RADAR IN RIVERTON CONTINUED TO SHOW STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS MOST OF SWEETWATER COUNTY.  THE STRONGEST STORMS
WERE ABOUT 5 MILES NORTHWEST OF WAMSUTTER.  THE STORMS WERE MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.  THESE STORMS WERE PRODUCING EXTENSIVE DANGEROUS
CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...SMALL HAIL AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS.  THE
STORMS WILL LIKELY MOVE THROUGH SOUTHEASTERN FREMONT COUNTY AND
THROUGH JEFFREY CITY BY 630 PM AND THEN INTO SOUTHERN NATRONA COUNTY.

THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH MUCH OF THE EVENING ACROSS CENTRAL
AND SOUTHWEST WYOMING.  IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA
SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY.  ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND
ON NOAA WEATHER RADIO...LOCAL CABLE TELEVISION OR ON THE INTERNET AT
HTTP://RIW.WEATHER.WYOMING.COM

WCJIN-WYSW-WYNE-WYNW
GK
Special weather statement, Jun 1, 6:20 PM MDT, 1 hour 16 minutes before
WYZ015-020130-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY
620 PM MDT SUN JUN 1 1997

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR NATRONA COUNTY UNTIL 9 PM...

...LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS APPROACHING NATRONA COUNTY FROM THE
SOUTH...

AT 615 PM WEATHER RADAR IN RIVERTON SHOWED A LINE OF STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS IN NORTHERN CARBON COUNTY MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 TO 20
MPH.  THE STORMS WILL BE IN THE PATHFINDER DAM AND ALCOVA RESERVOIR
AREAS BY 7 PM.  EXPECT SMALL HAIL AND EXTENSIVE DANGEROUS CLOUD TO
GROUND LIGHTNING WITH THESE STORMS AS WELL AS WIND GUSTS APPROACHING
50 MPH.  PERSONS OUTDOORS THIS AFTERNOON IN THE ALCOVA AND PATHFINDER
AREAS SHOULD SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY.  THESE STORMS WILL ALSO LIKELY
AFFECT THE CITY OF CASPER AS WELL.

EVERYONE IN NATRONA COUNTY SHOULD BE AWARE OF THE POTENTIAL FOR STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS THIS EVENING.  SOME OF THE STORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE.  SO
KEEP ABREAST OF THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION AND THE PROGRESS OF
THUNDERSTORMS THIS EVENING.  ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION CAN BE
FOUND ON NOAA WEATHER RADIO...LOCAL CABLE TELEVISION OR ON THE
INTERNET AT HTTP://RIW.WEATHER.WYOMING.COM

WCJIN-WYSW-WYNE
GK
Special weather statement, Jun 1, 6:23 PM MDT, 1 hour 13 minutes before
WYZ015-020130-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY
620 PM MDT SUN JUN 1 1997

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR NATRONA COUNTY UNTIL 9 PM...

...LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS APPROACHING NATRONA COUNTY FROM THE
SOUTH...

AT 615 PM WEATHER RADAR IN RIVERTON SHOWED A LINE OF STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS IN NORTHERN CARBON COUNTY MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 TO 20
MPH.  THE STORMS WILL BE IN THE PATHFINDER DAM AND ALCOVA RESERVOIR
AREAS BY 7 PM.  EXPECT SMALL HAIL AND EXTENSIVE DANGEROUS CLOUD TO
GROUND LIGHTNING WITH THESE STORMS AS WELL AS WIND GUSTS APPROACHING
50 MPH.  PERSONS OUTDOORS THIS AFTERNOON IN THE ALCOVA AND PATHFINDER
AREAS SHOULD SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY.  THESE STORMS WILL ALSO LIKELY
AFFECT THE CITY OF CASPER AS WELL.

EVERYONE IN NATRONA COUNTY SHOULD BE AWARE OF THE POTENTIAL FOR STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS THIS EVENING.  SOME OF THE STORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE.  SO
KEEP ABREAST OF THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION AND THE PROGRESS OF
THUNDERSTORMS THIS EVENING.  ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION CAN BE
FOUND ON NOAA WEATHER RADIO...LOCAL CABLE TELEVISION OR ON THE
INTERNET AT HTTP://RIW.WEATHER.WYOMING.COM

WCJIN-WYSW-WYNE
GK
Special weather statement, Jun 1, 7:30 PM MDT, 6 minutes before
WYZ015-020230-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY
730 PM MDT SUN JUN 1 1997

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR NATRONA COUNTY UNTIL 9 PM...

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING THROUGHOUT NATRONA COUNTY...

AT 725 PM WEATHER RADAR IN RIVERTON SHOWED SEVERAL STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS THROUGHOUT NATRONA COUNTY.  THE STRONGEST WAS ABOUT 8
MILES TO THE SOUTHEAST OF CASPER.  OTHER STRONG STORMS WERE 2 MILES
WEST OF ALCOVA RESERVOIR AND IN THE EXTREME SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THE
COUNTY.  OTHER STORMS HAD DEVELOPED ALONG ROUTE 26 EAST OF NATRONA.
THESE STORMS WILL LIKELY PRODUCE SMALL HAIL...HEAVY RAIN...WIND GUSTS
APPROACHING 50 MPH AND EXTENSIVE CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING.

EVERYONE IN NATRONA COUNTY SHOULD BE AWARE OF THE POTENTIAL FOR STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS THIS EVENING.  SOME OF THE STORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE.  SO
KEEP ABREAST OF THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION IN THE EVENT WARNINGS
ARE ISSUED LATER THIS EVENING.  ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION CAN BE
FOUND ON NOAA WEATHER RADIO...LOCAL CABLE TELEVISION OR ON THE
INTERNET AT HTTP://RIW.WEATHER.WYOMING.COM

WCJIN-WYSW-WYNE
GK

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Wyoming, 1997Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1997

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.