Damaging Winds in Wyoming, August 23, 2002

Name: Damaging Winds in Wyoming, August 23, 2002
Start: 2002-08-23T18:15
End: 2002-08-23T18:33
Location: Wyoming

August 23, 2002 · NWS UNR · 2 events in 1 county or zone

In Gillette a 400 gallon tank was knocked over and blown downhill where it hit and damaged two sheds. Fifty nine mph winds were measured by the ASOS at the Gillette airport.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $40,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 2

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 UNR wrote it up.

In Gillette a 400 gallon tank was knocked over and blown downhill where it hit and damaged two sheds. Fifty nine mph winds were measured by the ASOS at the Gillette airport.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Rapid City, SD wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Aug 23, 1:15 PM MST, 5 hours earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 23, 1:15 PM MST, 5 hours before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION FOR WESTERN SD AND NORTHEASTERN WY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RAPID CITY SD
215 PM MDT FRI AUG 23 2002

STRONG UPR LOW OR/ID BDR SHOWING LITTLE MOVEMENT PER WATER VAPOR
IMAGERY. A JET STREAK IS DEPICTED OVER NRN UT...AND IS AIDING IN
CONVECTIVE DVLPMT ACRS THE NRN ROCKIES. TSTMS OVR THE BLKHLS HAVE
ALREADY REACHED SVR CRITERIA WITH LARGE HAIL. MAIN FCST CONCERNS
CENTERED AROUND HEAVY RAIN POTENTIAL THROUGH SAT...WITH THE
POSSIBILITY OF SOME STORMS CONTAINING LARGE HAIL.

EXPECT ACTIVITY TO CONT TO DEVELOP AND MOVE EWD ACRS THE CWFA
THROUGH SAT...AS 700MB TROF ROTATES THROUGH NRN PLAINS.  SE FLOW
WILL CONT TO DEEPEN...AND LATEST HODOGRAPHS INDICATE SHEAR WILL
INCREASE SOMEWHAT TONIGHT FOR POTENTIAL ROTATING UPDRAFTS. BIGGEST
CONCERN REMAINS HEAVY RAIN POTENTIAL AS STORM MOVEMENT WILL BE VERY
SLOW.

BY SAT NIGHT...700MB TROF MOVS N/E OF CWFA CUTTING OFF DEEP MOISTURE
SOURCE. HOWEVER...WILL NEED TO LEAVE POPS IN FCST THRU REMAINDER OF
3 DAY FCST AS MAIN UPR TROF REMAINS WEST OF AREA...KEEPING AREA
UNDER UNSTABLE SW FLOW ALOFT.

EXTENDED...TUE-WED STILL UNSETTLED AS UPR TROF CROSSES NRN PLAINS.
TEMPS SHOULD REMAIN WITHIN REACH OF CLIMO THESE DAYS. DRIER WITH
WARMING TREND EXPECTED THU-FRI AS UPR RIDGE BUILDS ACRS REGION IN
ADVANCE OF WEST COAST TROF.

.UNR...FLOOD WATCH THIS AFTN THRU SAT EVE FOR LAWRENCE COUNTY.
JOHNSON

In the hours before

Local storm report, Aug 23, 1:37 PM MST, 4 hours 38 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RAPID CITY SD
237 PM MDT FRI AUG 23 2002

TIME(MDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

1255 PM    ROCHFORD                  SD   .75 INCH HAIL
08/23/02   PENNINGTON                     REPORTED BY STORM
                                          SPOTTER.

0231 PM    HILL CITY                 SD   1.75 INCH HAIL
08/23/02   PENNINGTON                     REPORTED BY LAW
                                          ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL.

0234 PM    2 E HILL CITY             SD   1 INCH HAIL
08/23/02   PENNINGTON                     FOREST SERVICE

Local storm report, Aug 23, 1:59 PM MST, 4 hours 16 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RAPID CITY SD
259 PM MDT FRI AUG 23 2002

TIME(MDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0245 PM    3 E HILL CITY             SD   .75 INCH HAIL
08/23/02   PENNINGTON                     REPORTED BY STORM
                                          SPOTTER.

0245 PM    HILL CITY                 SD   1.75 INCH HAIL
08/23/02   PENNINGTON                     REPORTED BY PUBLIC.

0250 PM    2 E HILL CITY             SD   1.75 INCH HAIL
08/23/02   PENNINGTON                     REPORTED BY STORM
                                          SPOTTER.

0257 PM    KEYSTONE                  SD   1.75 INCH HAIL
08/23/02   PENNINGTON                     REPORTED BY LAW
                                          ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL.

Local storm report, Aug 23, 2:08 PM MST, 4 hours 7 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RAPID CITY SD
308 PM MDT FRI AUG 23 2002

TIME(MDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

1255 PM    ROCHFORD                  SD   .75 INCH HAIL
08/23/02   PENNINGTON                     REPORTED BY STORM
                                          SPOTTER.

0231 PM    HILL CITY                 SD   1.75 INCH HAIL
08/23/02   PENNINGTON                     REPORTED BY LAW
                                          ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL.

0234 PM    2 E HILL CITY             SD   1 INCH HAIL
08/23/02   PENNINGTON                     FOREST SERVICE

0245 PM    3 E HILL CITY             SD   .75 INCH HAIL
08/23/02   PENNINGTON                     REPORTED BY STORM
                                          SPOTTER.

0245 PM    HILL CITY                 SD   1.75 INCH HAIL
08/23/02   PENNINGTON                     REPORTED BY PUBLIC.

0245 PM    4 NE HILL CITY            SD   1.75 INCH HAIL
08/23/02   PENNINGTON                     REPORTED BY STORM
                                          SPOTTER.

0250 PM    2 E HILL CITY             SD   1.75 INCH HAIL
08/23/02   PENNINGTON                     REPORTED BY STORM
                                          SPOTTER.

0257 PM    KEYSTONE                  SD   1.75 INCH HAIL
08/23/02   PENNINGTON                     REPORTED BY LAW
                                          ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL.

0305 PM    3 N KEYSTONE              SD   1 INCH HAIL
08/23/02   PENNINGTON                     FIRE FIGHER CREW ON
                                          BATTLE CREEK FIRE

Local storm report, Aug 23, 2:10 PM MST, 4 hours 5 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RAPID CITY SD
310 PM MDT FRI AUG 23 2002

TIME(MDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0305 PM    3 N KEYSTONE              SD   1 INCH HAIL
08/23/02   PENNINGTON                     FIRE FIGHTER CREW ON
                                          BATTLE CREEK FIRE

Local storm report, Aug 23, 2:11 PM MST, 4 hours 4 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RAPID CITY SD
311 PM MDT FRI AUG 23 2002

TIME(MDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

1255 PM    ROCHFORD                  SD   .75 INCH HAIL
08/23/02   PENNINGTON                     REPORTED BY STORM
                                          SPOTTER.

0231 PM    HILL CITY                 SD   1.75 INCH HAIL
08/23/02   PENNINGTON                     REPORTED BY LAW
                                          ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL.

0234 PM    2 E HILL CITY             SD   1 INCH HAIL
08/23/02   PENNINGTON                     FOREST SERVICE

0245 PM    3 E HILL CITY             SD   .75 INCH HAIL
08/23/02   PENNINGTON                     REPORTED BY STORM
                                          SPOTTER.

0245 PM    HILL CITY                 SD   1.75 INCH HAIL
08/23/02   PENNINGTON                     REPORTED BY PUBLIC.

0245 PM    4 NE HILL CITY            SD   1.75 INCH HAIL
08/23/02   PENNINGTON                     REPORTED BY STORM
                                          SPOTTER.

0250 PM    2 E HILL CITY             SD   1.75 INCH HAIL
08/23/02   PENNINGTON                     REPORTED BY STORM
                                          SPOTTER.

0257 PM    KEYSTONE                  SD   1.75 INCH HAIL
08/23/02   PENNINGTON                     REPORTED BY LAW
                                          ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL.

0305 PM    3 N KEYSTONE              SD   1 INCH HAIL
08/23/02   PENNINGTON                     FIRE FIGHTER CREW ON
                                          BATTLE CREEK FIRE

Local storm report, Aug 23, 2:25 PM MST, 3 hours 50 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RAPID CITY SD
325 PM MDT FRI AUG 23 2002

TIME(MDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0320 PM    1 W KEYSTONE              SD   1 INCH HAIL
08/23/02   PENNINGTON                     REPORTED BY LAW
                                          ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL.

0320 PM    KEYSTONE                  SD   1.75 INCH HAIL
08/23/02   PENNINGTON                     REPORTED BY STORM
                                          SPOTTER.  GOLFBALL SIZE
                                          HAIL FROM 310 PM
                                          THROUGH 320 PM.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Campbell

When: August 23, 6:15 PM MST to 6:33 PM MST
Where: Campbell County, Gillette
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph)
Property damage: $40,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 44.283, -105.483

Thunderstorm Wind, Campbell

When: August 23, 6:33 PM MST
Where: Campbell County, (Gcc)gillette Arpt
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph)
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 44.333, -105.550

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Wyoming in 2002 Every state in 2002 This day in weather history Warnings in Wyoming, August 2002

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: 5310728, 5310729.