Wyoming, 1999

Winter Storm in Wyoming, March 5, 1999

March 5, 1999 · NWS RIW · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

15 inches of new snow reported near Lake De Smet in northern Johnson County, 12 inches in the foothills west of Buffalo, and around 9 inches in the city of Buffalo. Up to a foot of new snow in the Big Horn Mountains.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
3

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 RIW wrote it up.

15 inches of new snow reported near Lake De Smet in northern Johnson County, 12 inches in the foothills west of Buffalo, and around 9 inches in the city of Buffalo. Up to a foot of new snow in the Big Horn Mountains. I-25 closed at times during the day in Johnson County due to whiteout conditions caused by strong northwest winds and blowing snow.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, East Johnson

When
March 5, 1:00 AM MST to 4:00 PM MST
Where
East Johnson forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
41.660, -108.879 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Southeast Big Horn Mountains / W Johnson

When
March 5, 1:00 AM MST to 4:00 PM MST
Where
Southeast Big Horn Mountains / W Johnson forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
42.264, -110.656 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Western Big Horn Mountains / E Big Horn / E Washakie

When
March 5, 1:00 AM MST to 4:00 PM MST
Where
Western Big Horn Mountains / E Big Horn / E Washakie forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
42.433, -109.520 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Winter Storm
A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Wyoming in 1999Every state in 1999This day in weather historyWarnings in Wyoming, March 1999

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: 5692645, 5692646, 5692647.