Winter Storm in Wyoming, January 6 to 7, 2009

Name: Winter Storm in Wyoming, January 6 to 7, 2009
Start: 2009-01-06T09:00
End: 2009-01-07T22:00
Location: Wyoming

January 6 to 7, 2009 · NWS RIW · 5 events in 5 counties and zones

Persistent northwest flow aloft ushered a series of weather disturbances across Wyoming bringing heavy snow to the mountains of northern Wyoming. Mountain snowfall of 12 to 18 inches was common.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 5 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 5

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.

Persistent northwest flow aloft ushered a series of weather disturbances across Wyoming bringing heavy snow to the mountains of northern Wyoming. Mountain snowfall of 12 to 18 inches was common. A prolonged period of light snow allowed accumulations to top-out between six and eight inches in Jackson Hole and the Star Valley.

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 Riverton, WY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 6, 2:04 AM MST, 6 hours 56 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 6, 2:04 AM MST, 6 hours 56 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 6, 5:01 AM MST, 3 hours 59 minutes before

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The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Teton & Gros Ventre Mountains

When: January 6, 9:00 AM MST to January 7, 2:00 PM MST
Where: Teton & Gros Ventre Mountains forecast zone
Reported by: SNOTEL
Coordinates: 43.002, -109.948 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Star Valley

When: January 6, 10:00 AM MST to January 7, 10:00 AM MST
Where: Star Valley forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 42.264, -110.656 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Yellowstone National Park

When: January 6, 11:00 AM MST to January 7, 1:00 PM MST
Where: Yellowstone National Park forecast zone
Reported by: SNOTEL
Coordinates: 44.228, -110.089 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Jackson Hole

When: January 6, 12:00 PM MST to January 7, 2:00 PM MST
Where: Jackson Hole forecast zone
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 43.100, -110.623 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Bighorn Mountains West

When: January 6, 5:00 PM MST to January 7, 10:00 PM MST
Where: Bighorn Mountains West forecast zone
Reported by: SNOTEL
Coordinates: 43.695, -107.538 (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

Every storm in Wyoming in 2009 Every state in 2009 This day in weather history Warnings in Wyoming, January 2009

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 142196, 142198, 142195, 142197, 142199.