A potent synoptic storm system intensified as it moved out of the Rockies and across the Northern Plains. This storm spread heavy snow over much of Northeastern Wyoming as it slowly moved east.
Every event with a place to put it; 4 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS UNR wrote it up.
A potent synoptic storm system intensified as it moved out of the Rockies and across the Northern Plains. This storm spread heavy snow over much of Northeastern Wyoming as it slowly moved east. Snow began late morning on the 13th and persisted through the afternoon of the 14th. Most areas of Northeastern Wyoming received 6 to 8 inches of snow during this time. The heaviest snowfall occurred over Weston County where 10 inches of snow was reported near Rochelle. Gusty northwest winds accompanied the snow and caused reduced visibilities and minor drifting of snow.
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 Mar 13, 7:52 AM MST, 2 hours 8 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION FOR WESTERN SD AND NORTHEASTERN WY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RAPID CITY SD 752 AM MST WED MAR 13 2002 12Z ETA HAS COME IN LINE WITH 06Z AVN. HAVE PULLED THE TRIGGER IN BLKHLS AND FAR SW SD AND WENT ADVY FOR NE WY AS GREATER THAN 12 HOUR EVENT NOT LIKELY TO SEE MORE THAN 7 INCHES. LEFT WATCH FOR RAP ZONE AND SCNTRL ZONE SO NEXT SHIFT CAN HAVE MORE TIME TO EVALUATE. .UNR...WINT STORM WARN FOR THE BLK HLS AND FAR SW SD THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THURS MORN...WINT WX ADVY NE WY THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...WINTER STORM WATCH TONIGHT NRN/CENTRL FOOTHILLS AND PLAINS E OF BLK HILLS TONIGHT THROUGH THURS MORNING...WINTER STORM WATCH SCNTRL SD TONIGHT AND THURS. BAILEY
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Wyoming in 2002Every state in 2002This day in weather historyWarnings in Wyoming, March 2002
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: 5286166, 5286167, 5286168, 5286169.