High Wind in Wyoming, December 16 to 17, 1997

Name: High Wind in Wyoming, December 16 to 17, 1997
Start: 1997-12-16T22:00
End: 1997-12-17T08:00
Location: Wyoming

December 16 to 17, 1997 · NWS CYS · 6 events in 6 counties and zones

Strong winds occcurred over and adjacent to the Snowy Range and Laramie Range. Sustained winds were 45 to 50 MPH in the mountains and 35 to 40 MPH in the lower elevations.

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 6

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS CYS wrote it up.

Strong winds occcurred over and adjacent to the Snowy Range and Laramie Range. Sustained winds were 45 to 50 MPH in the mountains and 35 to 40 MPH in the lower elevations. Arlington (38 NW Laramie) had a peak gust of 64 MPH at 2245. A National Weather Service employee reported a peak gust of 62 MPH 15 W Cheyenne at 0508. Bordeaux (10 SE Wheatland) had a peak gust of 61 MPH at 0037. Cheyenne had a peak gust of 59 MPH at 0642.

Event by event

6 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Platte

When: December 16, 10:00 PM MST to December 17, 8:00 AM MST
Where: Platte forecast zone
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph)

High Wind, North Carbon

When: December 16, 10:00 PM MST to December 17, 8:00 AM MST
Where: North Carbon forecast zone
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph)

High Wind, Cheyenne Foothills

When: December 16, 10:00 PM MST to December 17, 8:00 AM MST
Where: Cheyenne Foothills forecast zone
Measured: 54 kt (62 mph)

High Wind, Laramie Range

When: December 16, 10:00 PM MST to December 17, 8:00 AM MST
Where: Laramie Range forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)

High Wind, North Laramie Range

When: December 16, 10:00 PM MST to December 17, 8:00 AM MST
Where: North Laramie Range forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)

High Wind, Snowy Range

When: December 16, 10:00 PM MST to December 17, 8:00 AM MST
Where: Snowy Range forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)

What these are

High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Wyoming in 1997 Every state in 1997 This day in weather history Warnings in Wyoming, December 1997

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5626394, 5626395, 5626396, 5626397, 5626398, 5626399.