A favorable southwest flow and surface pressure gradient generated high wind across portions of Fremont and Natrona counties. The wind was strongest during the morning and early afternoon.
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The episode as NWS RIW wrote it up.
A favorable southwest flow and surface pressure gradient generated high wind across portions of Fremont and Natrona counties. The wind was strongest during the morning and early afternoon. A peak gust of 66 mph was recorded at Hunt Field in Lander. Sustained winds of 40 mph with gusts near 60 mph were measured on Beaver Rim and at Hiland.
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 Riverton, WY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 1, 7:32 PM MST, 6 hours 28 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY 732 PM MST THU JAN 1 2009 .UPDATE... HAVE ISSUED WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR THE UPPER WIND RIVER BASIN FOR SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW. DUBOIS AIRPORT HAS BEEN RECEIVING LIGHT SNOW SINCE LAST NIGHT...COMBINE THAT WITH 32G49KT WINDS...SHOULD MAKE FOR INTERESTING CONDITIONS THERE. SO WILL LET ADVISORY GO THROUGH 11PM FRI EVE. && SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY MAJOR WINTER STORM IMPACTING THE WEST TODAY WITH LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOWFALL AND STRONG TO VERY STRONG WINDS. EVEN THE NORTHERN STAR VALLEY RECEIVED A BURST OF SNOW THIS MORNING WITH SNOWFALL RATES NEARING AN IN PER HOUR FOR 3 HOURS. JUST GOT ANOTHER REPORT WITH 3 INCHES IN PINEDALE IN THE PAST 3 HOURS. MAIN FORECAST CHALLENGE FOR THE STAR VALLEY IS THE MID LEVEL WARMING THAT OCCURS TONIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING AND WHETHER THE SNOW WILL CHANGE OVER TO RAIN. IF PCPN CONTINUES...WE MAY JUST SEE ALL SNOW AS THE SREF GUIDANCE SHOWS BUT IT WILL HAVE TO BE WATCHED THROUGH THE NIGHT. IT COULD BE A CASE WHERE THE HIGHER PORTIONS OF THE VALLEY CONTINUE WITH SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL WHILE THE LOWEST ELEVATIONS OR THE SRN PARTS OF THE VALLEY CHANGE TO RAIN. THE POTENTIAL FOR VERY HEAVY SNOWFALL TOTALS WILL CONTINUE AS LONG AS IT REMAINS SNOW. THE JACKSON VALLEY WILL LIKELY REMAIN SNOW WITH TEMPERATURES RISING TO AROUND FREEZING. IT LOOKS LIKE ONE SPURT OF HEAVY SNOW WILL OCCUR OVER THE NEXT 6 HOURS WITH THE HIGHEST SNOW RATES EXPECTED FROM LATE FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH EARLY FRIDAY EVENING. AN INCH PER HOUR IS QUITE POSSIBLE ACROSS A LARGE AREA AT THIS TIME WITH HIGHER RATES POSSIBLE. SNOWFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 2 FEET WILL BE COMMON IN THE TETONS...GROS VENTRE...TOGWOTEE PASS AREA...AND SW PART OF THE PARK WITH LOWER END WARNING AMOUNTS ELSEWHERE IN THE WARNING AREA. THE SNOW WILL SHIFT EAST OF THE DIVIDE LATER FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY WITH WIDESPREAD LIGHT SNOW EXPECTED AND THE POSSIBILITY OF ADVISORY AMOUNTS IF EVERYTHING COMES TOGETHER...ESPECIALLY UPSLOPE FAVORED AREAS AROUND CASPER. UPGRADED ALL THE HIGH WIND WATCHES TO WARNINGS FOR TONIGHT AND FRIDAY WITH VERY STRONG W TO SW MTN TOP WINDS COMBINING WITH STRONG LOW LEVEL PRESSURE AND THERMAL GRADIENT. ALSO ADDED IN THE LANDER FOOTHILLS AS WINDS RECENTLY GUSTED TO 49KTS THERE. THE LCL WRF IS SHOWING VERY STRONG 50-70KT WINDS ALONG THE EAST SLOPE OF THE MTNS BUT WITH LIMITED HINTS OF MTN WAVE ACTION...AT LEAST REACHING THE LOWER ELEVATIONS. I FEEL THERE WILL BE ENOUGH OF THESE HIGH WINDS MAKING IT ONTO THE LOWER ELEVATIONS...ESPECIALLY IN FAVORED GAP FLOW AREAS AND POTENTIALLY OFF AND ON AROUND LANDER FOR THE THIRD TIME THIS WEEK. THE WIND CORRIDOR SHOULD HOWL AGAIN AS 60KT H7 WINDS BECOME FULLY MIXED...ESPECIALLY LATER TONIGHT AND FRIDAY WHEN THE WINDS BACK TO A MORE SWLY DIRECTION. THE FAVORED RAWS SENSORS WILL BLOW HIGH WIND MUCH EARLIER. BITTER COLD AIR WILL RUSH IN BEHIND THIS SYSTEM FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY LEADING TO MUCH COLDER TEMPERATURES. HAVE CONTINUED THE TREND AND DROPPED THE HIGHS EVEN FURTHER FOR SATURDAY AND THE LOWS SATURDAY NIGHT. EVEN THE GUIDANCE IS NOW SHOWING LOWS OUT WEST BETWEEN -15 AND NEARLY -30 SATURDAY NIGHT WITH HIGHS STRUGGLING INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS IN SPOTS ON SUNDAY...ESPECIALLY CENTRAL AND WESTERN BASINS AND VALLEYS. LONG TERM...SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY NORTHWEST FLOW ON SUNDAY WITH A BREAK IN THE PRECIP FOR THE WESTERN MTS AS ONLY ISOLATED SNOW SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED. DRY ELSEWHERE ON SUNDAY. THE NEXT SURGE OF MOISTURE IS FORECAST FOR SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY INTO THE WESTERN MTS. THIS OCCURS AS A NEW WEATHER SYSTEM IN THE NW FLOW MOVES TOWARD THE ROCKIES ON MONDAY. THE TROUGH MOVES THROUGH THE REGION MONDAY NIGHT. BEST CHANCE OF SNOW WILL BE IN THE MOUNTAINS. SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS ELSEWHERE WITH THE COLD FRONT PASSAGE. NW FLOW ALOFT FOR TUESDAY WITH MOISTURE IN THE FLOW FOR THE WESTERN MOUNTAINS AGAIN. MOSTLY DRY ELSEWHERE ON TUE. THE MOIST NW FLOW IS FORECAST TO PERSIST THROUGH WED AND THEN THE NEXT TROUGH IS SLATED FOR NEXT THURSDAY. THIS WOULD KEEP THE CHANCE OF SNOW GOING IN THE WESTERN MTS NEXT WED AND THU. MOSTLY DRY ELSEWHERE NEXT WED AND THU EAST OF THE DIVIDE FOR NOW. AS FOR TEMPS...COLD ON SUNDAY THEN SLIGHTLY WARMER ON MONDAY. SEASONAL HIGHS TUE THEN WARMING UP NEXT WED. STILL MILD NEXT THU AHEAD OF THE NEXT FRONTAL PASSAGE. AVIATION... A STRONG PACIFIC STORM SYSTEM WILL DELIVER HEAVY SNOWFALL TO WESTERN WYOMING TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY. THIS WILL RESULT IN WIDESPREAD INCREASING IFR AND LIFR CONDITIONS ACROSS WESTERN WYOMING THROUGH FRIDAY. MVFR CONDITIONS WILL BECOME ESTABLISHED ACROSS SWEETWATER COUNTY. THIS SAME STORM WILL BRING INCREASING SOUTHWEST WINDS THROUGH FRIDAY TO THE ABSAROKA MOUNTAINS AS WELL AS THE SOUTHERN WIND CORRIDOR FROM THE GREEN MOUNTAINS TO KCPR. SUSTAINED WIND SPEEDS WILL REACH 40 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 60 MPH ACROSS THE SOUTHERN WIND CORRIDOR TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY ALONG WITH SUSTAINED WIND SPEEDS OF 50 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 75 MPH ACROSS THE ABSAROKA MOUNTAINS. WIND SPEEDS WILL REACH 20 TO 30 MPH ACROSS MUCH OF THE REST OF WESTERN AND CENTRAL WYOMING. EXPECT SOME LLWS ACROSS AREAS JUST EAST OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE. VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS AREAS EAST OF THE DIVIDE. FIRE WEATHER... A MAJOR WINTER STORM WILL CONTINUE TO IMPACT THE WEST THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING WITH STRONG TO POTENTIALLY DAMAGING WINDS EAST OF THE DIVIDE. HIGH WIND WARNINGS COVER THE ABSAROKAS...CODY FOOTHILLS ...GREEN AND RATTLESNAKE RANGES AND THE LOWER ELEVATIONS OF NATRONA COUNTY THROUGH 6 PM FRIDAY. MOST AREAS WILL BE WINDY. MORE WIDESPREAD SNOW WILL DEVELOP EAST OF THE DIVIDE LATER FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY ALONG WITH GUSTY NORTH WIND. BITTER COLD TEMPERATURES WILL THEN REPLACE THIS CURRENT SYSTEM WITH MUCH COLDER TEMPERATURES OVER THE WEEKEND. && .RIW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 6 PM MST FRIDAY FOR WYZ002-003-019-020. HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 5 AM MST FRIDAY FOR WYZ018. WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 11 PM MST FRIDAY FOR WYZ001-012-013- 023>025. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 11 PM MST FRIDAY FOR WYZ014>016. && UPDATE...TWB SHORT TERM...SKRBAC LONG TERM...AR AVIATION...LIPSON FIRE WEATHER...SKRBAC
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY 734 PM MST THU JAN 1 2009 WYZ001>020-022>030-021300- ABSAROKA MOUNTAINS-BIGHORN MOUNTAINS SOUTHEAST- BIGHORN MOUNTAINS WEST-CASPER MOUNTAIN-CODY FOOTHILLS- EAST SWEETWATER COUNTY-FLAMING GORGE- GREEN MOUNTAINS AND RATTLESNAKE RANGE-JACKSON HOLE-LANDER FOOTHILLS- NATRONA COUNTY LOWER ELEVATIONS-NORTH BIG HORN BASIN- NORTHEAST JOHNSON COUNTY-OWL CREEK AND BRIDGER MOUNTAINS- ROCK SPRINGS AND GREEN RIVER-SALT RIVER AND WYOMING RANGES- SOUTH LINCOLN COUNTY-SOUTHEAST BIG HORN BASIN- SOUTHEAST JOHNSON COUNTY-SOUTHWEST BIG HORN BASIN-STAR VALLEY- TETON AND GROS VENTRE MOUNTAINS-UPPER GREEN RIVER BASIN- UPPER GREEN RIVER BASIN FOOTHILLS-UPPER WIND RIVER BASIN- WIND RIVER BASIN-WIND RIVER MOUNTAINS EAST-WIND RIVER MOUNTAINS WEST- YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK- 734 PM MST THU JAN 1 2009 ...WINTER STORM WARNINGS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF WESTERN WYOMING THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING... ...HIGH WIND WARNINGS FOR THE ABSAROKA MOUNTAINS...CODY FOOTHILLS... NATRONA COUNTY AND SOUTHEAST FREMONT COUNTY...FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH 6 PM FRIDAY... ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR THE UPPER WIND RIVER BASIN THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING. ...HIGH WIND WARNING FOR THE LANDER FOOTHILLS TONIGHT... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WESTERN AND CENTRAL WYOMING. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A MAJOR WINTER STORM WILL IMPACT WESTERN WYOMING THROUGH FRIDAY. STRONG WINDS WILL ACCOMPANY THE SNOW PRODUCING CONSIDERABLE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. TRAVEL WILL BE IMPACTED BY THE SNOW...ESPECIALLY OVER TOGWOTEE...SOUTH AND TETON PASSES. VERY STRONG WEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED IN THE ABSAROKA MOUNTAINS...CODY FOOTHILLS...SOUTHEAST FRONT COUNTY AND NATRONA COUNTIES TONIGHT AND FRIDAY. WEST WINDS OF 45 TO 55 MPH WITH GUSTS AS HIGH 80 MPH ARE POSSIBLE IN THE ABSAROKAS...WITH 35 TO 45 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 60 MPH OVER THE LOWER ELEVATIONS ARE EXPECTED. TRAVELLERS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR THESE VERY STRONG WINDS. CHECK THE LATEST ROAD REPORT BY DIALING 511 BEFORE VENTURING OUT. MOST OTHER LOCATIONS ACROSS WEST AND CENTRAL WYOMING WILL EXPERIENCE WINDS TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY THE SNOW IS EXPECTED TO INTENSIFY TONIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING... BECOMING HEAVY AT TIMES THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. GUSTY WINDS WILL ACCOMPANY THE SNOW RESULTING IN CONSIDERABLE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. SNOWFALL OF 1 TO 2 FEET IN THE FAR WEST MOUNTAINS WITH 6 TO 12 INCHES IN THE VALLEYS IS EXPECTED BY FRIDAY EVENING. STAY TUNED FOR THE LATEST STATEMENTS ON THIS MAJOR WINTER STORM. HOLIDAY TRAVELLERS SHOULD CHECK THE LATEST WEATHER FORECAST AND ROAD CONDITIONS BEFORE VENTURING OUT. CALL 5 1 1 FOR THE LATEST ROAD CONDITIONS IN WYOMING. STRONG WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FRIDAY ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA. A COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO NORTHERN WYOMING SATURDAY MORNING...BRINGING THE SNOW EAST OF THE DIVIDE...MAINLY TO JOHNSON AND NATRONA COUNTIES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ASKED TO REPORT STRONG WIND IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH AS WELL AS ANY SNOW ACCUMULATIONS THROUGH FRIDAY. THANK YOU. TEAM RIVERTON
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY 1220 AM MST FRI JAN 2 2009 WYZ002-021900- ABSAROKA MOUNTAINS- 1220 AM MST FRI JAN 2 2009 SNOW WILL CONTINUE TO FALL OVER THE WESTERN AND EVEN THE CENTRAL PORTION OF THE RANGE...WITH UP TO ONE FOOT OF ACCUMULATION POSSIBLE BY LATE FRIDAY EVENING. LOCAL HIGHER AMOUNTS ARE POSSIBLE NEAR TOGWOTEE PASS. SOME SNOW WILL FALL ALONG THE HIGHWAY TO THE EAST ENTRANCE OF YELLOWSTONE PARK AS WELL...WITH 3 TO 5 INCHES OF SNOWFALL POSSIBLE. WEST WINDS OF 15 TO 25 MPH WITH SOME HIGHER GUSTS WILL CAUSE SOME BLOWING AND DRIFTING...REDUCING THE VISIBILITY AT TIMES. BE SURE TO CHECK ROAD CONDITIONS BEFORE TRAVELLING TODAY BY DIALING 5 1 1. TWB
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Wyoming in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Wyoming, January 2009
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: 142201, 142200, 142202.