A lone thunderstorm formed west-northwest of Thermopolis and quickly developed into an impressive structure. Reports of a funnel cloud preceded the touch down of a tornado.
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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 RIW wrote it up.
A lone thunderstorm formed west-northwest of Thermopolis and quickly developed into an impressive structure. Reports of a funnel cloud preceded the touch down of a tornado. Funnel reports continued after the tornado dissipated around 1400MST.
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 Jun 14, 12:59 PM MST, 51 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY 159 PM MDT SUN JUN 14 2009 .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY CHALLENGING FORECAST WITH MANY FEATURES TO TRY AND TIME AND FORECAST THE EVOLUTION OF AS THE RENO UPPER LOW HEADS THIS WAY LATER TOMORROW. WEAK WAVE AND THERMAL TROUGH CURRENTLY MOVING UP THROUGH UTAH WILL LIKELY AID IN CONVECTION THROUGH THE AT LEAST THE EARLY EVENING. MODELS DIFFER ON WHERE THE ACTUAL ENERGY WILL END UP LATER THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. IT APPEARS THAT THE ACTUAL SHORTWAVE WILL JUST CLIP THE SERN ZONES AT BEST BUT THE MID LEVEL COOLING WILL AFFECT THE ENTIRE AREA. THE NAM IS ALSO DEVELOPING A DEFORMATION AXIS OVER OUR SRN ZONES AFTER MIDNIGHT... EVENTUALLY LIFTING THIS INTO CENTRAL WYO MONDAY AFTERNOON. THE DISTURBANCE OVER IDAHO SHOULD CONTINUE LIFTING N OR EVEN NW TODAY WITH JUST THE ERN FRINGES POSSIBLY AFFECTING YNP. RENO UPPER LOW IS THEN FORECAST TO OPEN UP AND MOVE INTO OUR AREA LATE MONDAY AS IT GET KICKED OUT BY THE NEXT ERN PACIFIC WAVE HEADING INTO THE WEST. ATMOSPHERE SHOULD BECOME EVEN MORE UNSTABLE ON MONDAY WITH THE MID LEVEL COOLING AND POSSIBLE CONVERGENCE ALONG A MID LEVEL CIRCULATION. THE NEXT UPPER LOW THEN DIGS INTO THE DESERT SW ON TUESDAY WITH JET ENERGY AND ANOTHER SHORTWAVE EJECTING NE INTO THE SWRN ZONES LATE TUESDAY AND ACROSS THE CENTRAL ZONES TUESDAY EVENING. COULD BE A LATE SHOW OR LINGERING SHOW IN THESE AREAS AS THE ENERGY ARRIVES AFTER DARK AND CONTINUES INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING. WEDNESDAY COULD ALSO BE AN ACTIVE DAY AS THE UPPER LOW OPENS UP AND SUPPLIES SOME JET ENERGY FROM THE SOUTH WHILE AT THE SAME TIME A SHORTWAVE OVER THE PACNW MOVES EAST INTO THE NWRN HALF OF THE STATE. WILL LIKELY NEED SCT POPS IN QUITE A FEW AREAS THROUGH THE SHORT TERM WITH POSSIBLE LIKELY POPS IN THE MTNS. .LONG TERM...WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY TROUGH MOVES INTO THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL ROCKIES WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. GFS IS FASTER THAN THE ECMWF MOVING THE TROUGH THROUGH THE REGION. GFS DIGS TROUGH INTO THE PLAINS BY 00Z FRI WHILE THE ECMWF HAS THE TROUGH AXIS OVER WY AT 00Z FRI. LIKE THE ECMWF TIMING AT THIS POINT AS IT HAS BEEN SHOWING THIS TIMING FOR A FEW RUNS NOW. HAVE ADJUSTED THE PRECIP CHANCES WED AND THURS TO REFLECT THE TROUGH. FRIDAY LOOKS DRIER WITH A WEST FLOW ALOFT PER THE ECMWF. HAVE CUT BACK THE PRECIP CHANCES IN MOST PLACES AND MAY NEED TO GO EVEN DRIER IF TREND CONTINUES. GFS AND ECMWF SHOW SOME RIDGING ON SAT WITH GFS MORE AMPLIFIED WITH THE RIDGE. HAVE LOWERED CHANCE OF PRECIP SAT AFTERNOON AND EVENING A BIT AS CONVECTION LOOKS TO BE LESS. ECMWF EJECTS UPPER LOW NEAR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA COAST INTO THE GREAT BASIN NEXT SUNDAY WHILE THE GFS HAS A RIDGE. CONFIDENCE LOW FOR EITHER SOLUTION AT THIS POINT. HIGH TEMPS WILL BE WARMER ON WED...THEN SLIGHTLY COOLER THURS. GFS AND ECMWF SHOW QUITE A WARMING TREND NEXT FRI THROUGH SUNDAY WITH MUCH WARMER 700MB TEMPS. WITH LOW CONFIDENCE IN MODELS LATE IN THE EXTENDED I HAVE RAISED HIGHS MODESTLY FOR NOW AND WILL SEE HOW THINGS LOOK TONIGHT. && .AVIATION... ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE PUSHING NORTHEAST ACROSS THE REGION THIS EVENING. MORE NUMEROUS SHOWERS/RAIN WILL BE PRESENT ACROSS WEST/NORTHWEST TONIGHT. EXPECT TO SEE BRIEF MVFR/IFR IN THE HEAVIER SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS. BY MIDNIGHT...MOST OF THE CONVECTION IS EXPECTED TO HAVE DISSIPATED AND/OR MOVED OUT OF THE AREA...BUT A CONVERGENCE ZONE ACROSS THE AREA WILL KEEP A CHANCE FOR SHOWERS ACROSS THE AREA AFTER MIDNIGHT. LIGHTER PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO HANG ON OVER THE FAR WEST/NORTHWEST. HOWEVER...VFR IS EXPECTED AT TAF SITES...BUT MVFR/IFR CONDITIONS CAN BE EXPECTED OVER MOUNTAINS...ESPECIALLY OUT WEST. ON MONDAY...EXPECT ANOTHER ROUND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO ERUPT TO DAYTIME HEATING AND ANOTHER DISTURBANCE MOVING ACROSS THE AREA. BEST CHANCE FOR CONVECTION WILL BE ACROSS NORTHWEST/NORTH...BUT THE STRONGEST ACTIVITY WILL PROBABLY BE SOUTH AND EAST. EXPECT BRIEF MVFR/IFR IN THE STRONGER ACTIVITY. IN ADDITION...THERE COULD BE SOME FOG AROUND WESTERN/CENTRAL WYOMING...ANYWHERE THAT ENOUGH CLEARING TAKES PLACE AND WHERE WINDS WILL BE LIGHT. AREAS FROM RKS TO CPR SHOULD REMAIN FOG FREE DUE TO A LITTLE BREEZE. HOWEVER THE REST OF THE AREA IS SUSCEPTIBLE TO SOME FOG DUE TO THE RECENT MOISTURE...BUT ENOUGH MID/HIGH CLOUDS SHOULD BE AROUND TO PREVENT WIDESPREAD FOG. && .FIRE WEATHER... GENERAL WET PATTERN TO CONTINUE THE NEXT COUPLE DAYS WITH NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IN THE HIGH COUNTRY AND FAR WEST AND GENERALLY SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EAST OF THE DIVIDE AND ACROSS THE SOUTH. && .RIW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE. && SHORT TERM...SKRBAC LONG TERM...AR AVIATION...WM FIRE WEATHER...SKRBAC
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY 600 AM MDT SUN JUN 14 2009 WYZ001>020-022>030-151200- 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- 600 AM MDT SUN JUN 14 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WESTERN AND CENTRAL WYOMING. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT MUCH OF WESTERN AND NORTHERN WYOMING. SOME OF THE STORMS COULD PRODUCE PEA SIZE HAIL ...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL AND 40 MPH WIND GUSTS...ESPECIALLY OVER NORTHERN WYOMING. THE STRONGEST STORMS WILL LIKELY OCCUR OVER JOHNSON COUNTY TODAY WHERE ISOLATED STORMS COULD PRODUCE 60 MPH WINDS ALONG WITH ONE INCH DIAMETER HAIL. SOME OF THE STORMS OVER NORTHERN AND WESTERN WYOMING COULD PRODUCE LOCALIZED FLOODING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY A CHANCE OF AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL REMAIN IN THE FORECAST MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ASKED TO REPORT ANY RAINFALL AMOUNTS...HAIL-SIZE OVER ONE HALF INCH AND WIND GUSTS OVER 40 MPH. SPOTTERS ARE ALSO ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY BANKFULL STREAMS OR RIVERS. THANK YOU. TEAM RIVERTON
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY 1110 AM MDT SUN JUN 14 2009 WYZ028>030-141900- EAST SWEETWATER COUNTY-FLAMING GORGE-ROCK SPRINGS AND GREEN RIVER- 1110 AM MDT SUN JUN 14 2009 THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVER THE UINTA MOUNTAINS AND PUSH NORTH... INTO SOUTHWEST SWEETWATER COUNTY...AFFECTING FLAMING GORGE RESERVOIR...BETWEEN NOON AND 1 PM. THE REST OF SWEETWATER COUNTY SHOULD SEE THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOP BETWEEN 1 PM AND 3 PM. THE STRONGEST STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING CONTINUOUS LIGHTNING... SMALL HAIL...GUSTS TO 50 MPH...AND BRIEF HEAVY RAINFALL. IF A STORM APPROACHES...BOATERS SHOULD GET OUT OF THE WATER AND MOVE INDOORS OR INSIDE A VEHICLE. 21
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY 128 PM MDT SUN JUN 14 2009 WYZ005-007-142030- OWL CREEK AND BRIDGER MOUNTAINS-SOUTHWEST BIG HORN BASIN- 128 PM MDT SUN JUN 14 2009 THROUGH 230 PM...AN ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM ABOUT 25 MILES WEST NORTHWEST OF THERMOPOLIS...OR ABOUT 10 MILES WEST OF HAMILTON DOME... WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE EAST NORTHEAST...AND AFFECT AREAS BETWEEN OWL CREEK ROAD TO LEGEND ROCK...INCLUDING HAMILTON DOME. EXPECT...BRIEF HEAVY RAINFALL...SMALL HAIL...GUSTY WINDS AROUND 40 MPH...AND OCCASIONAL LIGHTNING WITH THIS STORM. 21
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY 201 PM MDT SUN JUN 14 2009 WYZ005-007-142045- OWL CREEK AND BRIDGER MOUNTAINS-SOUTHWEST BIG HORN BASIN- 201 PM MDT SUN JUN 14 2009 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR HOT SPRINGS COUNTY UNTIL 245 PM MDT... AT 200 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 5 MILES SOUTH OF LEGEND ROCK...OR 22 MILES WEST OF THERMOPOLIS...MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH. PENNY SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS AROUND 50 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. RESIDENTS IN CENTRAL HOT SPRINGS COUNTY...INCLUDING THE LOCATIONS OF LEGEND ROCK...HAMILTON DOME AND HWY JCT 170 AND 174...SHOULD MONITOR THE WEATHER SITUATION CLOSELY. LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION SHOULD SEVERE WEATHER THREATEN. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... MOVE INDOORS IMMEDIATELY AS THIS STORM APPROACHES YOUR LOCATION. THIS IS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS STORM. IF YOU ARE IN ITS PATH...YOU SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR GUSTY WINDS...HAIL...AND DEADLY CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. IF A STURDY STRUCTURE IS NOT AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER IN A VEHICLE WITH THE WINDOWS UP. && REPORT HAZARDOUS WEATHER TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN RIVERTON AT 1-800-211-1448. MURRELL
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY 226 PM MDT SUN JUN 14 2009 WYZ028>030-142130- EAST SWEETWATER COUNTY-FLAMING GORGE-ROCK SPRINGS AND GREEN RIVER- 226 PM MDT SUN JUN 14 2009 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SWEETWATER COUNTY... THROUGH 330 PM...WIDELY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO RAPIDLY DEVELOP ACROSS SWEETWATER COUNTY...AND MOVE NORTH NORTHEAST. THE STRONGER STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING GUSTY WINDS NEAR 50 MPH...BRIEF HEAVY RAIN...SMALL HAIL...AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING. TRAVELLERS...INCLUDING THOSE ON INTERSTATE 80...SHOULD BE READY FOR THESE STRONG STORMS...WITH SUDDEN WIND GUSTS...AND QUICK REDUCTION OF VISIBILITY IN HEAVY RAIN. 21
The Riverton/Lander radar (KRIW), 73 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:50 UTC.
2 funnel cloud, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
A funnel cloud was reported northwest of Thermopolis near Hamilton Dome.
Several people including a sheriff's deputy observed a tornado west of State Highway 120 northwest of Thermopolis.
Funnel cloud reports continued following the dissipation of a brief tornado.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Wyoming in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Wyoming, 2009Warnings in Wyoming, June 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: 167639, 167638, 167640.