A potent upper level storm system which moved across Colorado and Kansas produced heavy snow and gusty north to northeast winds over portions of southeast Wyoming. Storm total snowfall ranged from 6 to 12 inches over the central and southern Laramie Range/Foothills and Snowy Range.
Every event with a place to put it; 13 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 CYS wrote it up.
A potent upper level storm system which moved across Colorado and Kansas produced heavy snow and gusty north to northeast winds over portions of southeast Wyoming. Storm total snowfall ranged from 6 to 12 inches over the central and southern Laramie Range/Foothills and Snowy Range. The combination of falling and blowing snow caused very hazardous travel conditions.
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 Cheyenne, WY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 2, 3:25 PM MST, 1 hour 35 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHEYENNE WY
325 PM MST THU FEB 2 2012
.SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT
HAZARDOUS WINTER STORM CONTINUES TO LOOK ON TRACK TO ARRIVE THIS
EVENING ACROSS SOUTHEAST WYOMING AND THE WESTERN NEBRASKA
PANHANDLE. 500MB RUC ANALYSIS AT 20Z SHOWS THE MIDLEVEL TROUGH
CLOSING OFF TO THE EAST OF THE FOUR CORNERS REGION. UPPER LEVEL
DIVERGENCE TO THE NORTHEAST OF THE LOW IS CURRENTLY PRODUCING AN
AREA OF IR ENHANCEMENT STRETCHING FROM DENVER TO GOODLAND. THE
MODELS AGREE IN INCREASING LLVL N-NE UPSLOPE WINDS THRU THE EVENING
AND MOISTENING THE LOW/MID LEVELS. WHILE THE CURRENT DEWPOINT
DEPRESSIONS ARE HIGH TO THE EAST OF THE LARAMIE RANGE (15-20F)...LOW
LEVEL COLD-AIR ADVECTION AND TOP-DOWN MOISTENING WILL RESULT IN
SATURATION BY THIS EVENING. LOOKS LIKE THE PERIOD FROM 00Z-06Z IN
PARTICULAR IS FAVORABLE FOR HIGH SNOWFALL RATES ACROSS SOUTHEAST WY.
A BUFKIT TIME-HEIGHT PLOT FROM KCYS SHOWS THE COMBINATION OF
EASTERLY 700MB WINDS AND UPWARD MOTION IN THE DENDRITE GROWTH ZONE
BEING MAXIMIZED BETWEEN 00Z-06Z. SNOWFALL ACROSS THE NE PANHANDLE
WILL LIKELY HOLD OFF UNTIL LATE TONIGHT WHEN THE MIDLEVEL DYNAMICS
ARRIVE.
THE 500MB LOW WILL BEGIN ITS PROGRESSION TO THE NORTHEAST ON
FRIDAY MOVING...MOVING ACROSS EASTERN CO AND NORTHWESTERN KS. THE
HEAVIEST SNOWFALL ON FRIDAY...ESPECIALLY BY AFTN...IS EXPECTED OVER
THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE NEBRASKA PANHANDLE CLOSEST TO THE 700MB
LOW. 700MB FCTS AT 18Z FRI SHOW AN AXIS OF HIGHER NE WINDS (AROUND
35 KTS) STRETCHING ACROSS CHEYENNE COUNTY. BUFKIT SOUNDINGS AT KSNY
AT 18Z SUPPORT GUSTS TO 35 KTS...THUS WILL CONTINUE THE BLIZZARD
WARNING ACROSS CHEYENNE COUNTY. ANY SUBSTANTIAL MIDLEVEL
FRONTOGENESIS IS PROGGED TO BE SOUTH AND EAST OF THE CWA THROUGHOUT
THE ENTIRE EVENT. THUS...NOT EXPECTING OVERLY HIGH SNOWFALL
RATES...HOWEVER THE LONG DURATION OF LOW-LEVEL UPSLOPE WILL PRODUCE
STORM TOTAL SNOWFALL AMOUNTS BETWEEN 7 TO 10 INCHES ALONG INTERSTATE
80 THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT. EXPECT HIGHER AMOUNTS IN THE
OROGRAPHICALLY FAVORED SOUTH LARAMIE RANGE NEAR THE I-80 SUMMIT.
AMOUNTS WILL DROP OFF TO THE NORTH AND WEST...IN AREAS FURTHER
REMOVED FROM THE MIDLEVEL LOW. SNOW WILL BEGIN TO TAPER OFF FROM
WEST TO EAST OVER THE CWA BY LATE FRIDAY NIGHT AS THE MAIN 500MB LOW
CONTINUES ITS PROGRESSION EASTWARD AND THE SFC HIGH SETTLES OVER
SOUTHEAST WY.
.LONG TERM...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY
12Z GFS AND ECMWF 500 MB SYNOPTIC PATTERNS SIMILAR...LEADING TO
MODERATE TO HIGH CONFIDENCE IN THEIR RESPECTIVE MODEL SOLUTIONS.
SATURDAY...SHORTWAVE TROUGH ALOFT WILL BE MOVING OFF TO OUR
EAST...THUS DECREASING SNOW CHANCES ACROSS OUR SOUTHERN COUNTIES.
SUNDAY...SLOW WARMING TREND ON TAP AS HEIGHTS AND THICKNESSES RISE.
DRY WITH LACK OF LOW AND MID LEVEL MOISTURE.
MONDAY...ANOTHER WEAK COLD FRONT MOVES SOUTH ACROSS OUR
COUNTIES...THOUGH THE BULK OF THE COLDER AIR WILL REMAIN NORTH AND
EAST OF OUR AREA. CONTINUED DRY WITH LIMITED LOW AND MID LEVEL
MOISTURE.
TUESDAY-THURSDAY...DRY NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT WILL PREVAIL. WARMING
TREND WILL CONTINUE AS HEIGHTS AND THICKNESSES RISE.
&&
.AVIATION...18Z TAFS
THROUGH 00Z...CIGS AND VISIBILITIES LOWERING
TO IFR IN SNOW AND FOG ACROSS CARBON COUNTY WITH MOUNTAIN
OBSCURATION. VFR ELSEWHERE.
AFTER 00Z...WIDESPREAD IFR AND LIFR DEVELOPING IN SNOW AND FOG
AT RAWLINS...LARAMIE...CHEYENNE AND SIDNEY ALONG WITH MOUNTAIN
OBSCURATION. MVFR DUE TO CLOUDS...SNOW AND FOG DEVELOPING AT
CHADRON...SCOTTSBLUFF AND ALLIANCE.
AFTER 12Z...WIDESPREAD IFR IN SNOW AND FOG...WITH LIFR AND VLIFR AT
TIMES AT LARAMIE...CHEYENNE AND SIDNEY. MOUNTAINS OBSCURED. RUBIN
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...NO FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS
&&
.CYS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WY...WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 11 PM FRIDAY FOR WYZ106-WYZ107-WYZ116-
WYZ117-WYZ118-WYZ119.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 5 PM FRIDAY FOR WYZ103-WYZ114-
WYZ115.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 11 PM THURSDAY TO 11 PM FRIDAY FOR
WYZ108.
NE...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 11 PM THURSDAY TO 11 PM FRIDAY FOR
NEZ003-NEZ019-NEZ096.
WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 11 PM THURSDAY TO 11 PM FRIDAY FOR
NEZ020-NEZ021-NEZ054.
BLIZZARD WARNING FROM 11 PM THURSDAY TO 11 PM FRIDAY FOR NEZ055.
&&
SHORT TERM/FIRE WEATHER...FINCH
LONG TERM/AVIATION...RUBINHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHEYENNE WY 224 PM MST THU FEB 2 2012 WYZ101>119-032130- CONVERSE COUNTY LOWER ELEVATIONS-NIOBRARA COUNTY- NORTH LARAMIE RANGE-FERRIS/SEMINOE/SHIRLEY MOUNTAINS- SHIRLEY BASIN-CENTRAL LARAMIE RANGE AND SOUTHWEST PLATTE COUNTY- EAST PLATTE COUNTY-GOSHEN COUNTY-CENTRAL CARBON COUNTY- NORTH SNOWY RANGE FOOTHILLS-SOUTHWEST CARBON COUNTY- SIERRA MADRE RANGE-UPPER NORTH PLATTE RIVER BASIN-SNOWY RANGE- LARAMIE VALLEY-SOUTH LARAMIE RANGE-SOUTH LARAMIE RANGE FOOTHILLS- CENTRAL LARAMIE COUNTY-EAST LARAMIE COUNTY- 224 PM MST THU FEB 2 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EAST CENTRAL WYOMING... SOUTH CENTRAL WYOMING AND SOUTHEAST WYOMING. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT SNOW WILL SPREAD ACROSS SOUTHEAST WYOMING THIS EVENING AND CONTINUE THROUGH THE NIGHT. THE SNOW WILL BE HEAVY AT TIMES TONIGHT OVER THE SNOWY RANGE AND AREAS EAST. A WINTER STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM THE SOUTHERN LARAMIE RANGE EAST TO PINE BLUFFS TONIGHT ALONG INTERSTATE 80 IN ADDITION TO PLATTE COUNTY. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR THE LARAMIE VALLEY...SNOWY RANGE...GOSHEN COUNTY...AND THE NORTH LARAMIE RANGE MOUNTAINS. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS FOR TONIGHT WILL BE BETWEEN 3 AND 6 INCHES OVER AND EAST OF THE SNOWY RANGE...WITH THE HIGHEST AMOUNTS ALONG INTERSTATE 80. LIGHTER AMOUNTS CAN BE EXPECTED OVER AREAS FURTHER NORTH. NORTH WINDS WILL GUST AS HIGH AS 35 MPH TONIGHT OVER THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF WYOMING. TRAVEL WILL BE HAZARDOUS AND DIFFICULT TONIGHT WITH SNOWPACKED AND SLICK ROADS AND POOR VISIBILITIES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY SNOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT ACROSS AREAS OVER AND EAST OF THE SNOWY RANGE. AN ADDITIONAL 2 TO 4 INCHES CAN BE EXPECTED...WITH THE HIGHEST AMOUNTS ALONG INTERSTATE 80. WIND GUSTS TO 35 MPH WILL PRODUCE AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW AND REDUCED VISIBILITIES AT TIMES. SNOW WILL BEGIN TO TAPER OFF FROM WEST TO EAST LATE FRIDAY NIGHT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. HOWEVER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SNOWFALL AMOUNTS TO THE LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE. && THIS PRODUCT...ALONG WITH OTHER WEATHER...HYDROLOGIC...AND CLIMATE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ON THE WEB AT... HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/CHEYENNE NEZ002-003-019>021-054-055-095-096-032130- DAWES-BOX BUTTE-SCOTTS BLUFF-BANNER-MORRILL-KIMBALL-CHEYENNE- NORTH SIOUX-SOUTH SIOUX- 224 PM MST THU FEB 2 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE WESTERN NEBRASKA PANHANDLE. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT SNOW WILL SPREAD ACROSS THE WESTERN NEBRASKA PANHANDLE TONIGHT. THE SNOW WILL BE HEAVY AT TIMES. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS FOR TONIGHT WILL BE BETWEEN 2 AND 5 INCHES OVER THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE PANHANDLE...WITH THE HIGHEST AMOUNTS ALONG INTERSTATE 80. LIGHTER AMOUNTS CAN BE EXPECTED OVER AREAS FURTHER NORTH. NORTH WINDS WILL GUST AS HIGH AS 35 MPH LATE TONIGHT...SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCING VISIBILITIES ALONG INTERSTATE 80. A BLIZZARD WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR CHEYENNE COUNTY. A WINTER STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR KIMBALL...BANNER...AND MORRILL COUNTIES. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR SCOTTS BLUFF...BOX BUTTE...AND SOUTHERN SIOUX COUNTY. SEE THE WINTER WEATHER PRODUCTS FOR MORE DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY SNOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT ACROSS THE WESTERN NEBRASKA PANHANDLE. AN ADDITIONAL 3 TO 5 INCHES CAN BE EXPECTED...WITH THE HIGHEST AMOUNTS ALONG INTERSTATE 80. WIND GUSTS TO 35 MPH WILL PRODUCE AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW AND REDUCED VISIBILITIES AT TIMES. SNOW WILL BEGIN TO TAPER OFF BY SATURDAY MORNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. HOWEVER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SNOWFALL AMOUNTS TO THE LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE. && THIS PRODUCT...ALONG WITH OTHER WEATHER...HYDROLOGIC...AND CLIMATE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ON THE WEB AT... HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/CHEYENNE FINCH
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
13 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
A WYDOT official at Arlington reported 11 inches.
An observer two miles south of Elk Mountain reported 9.4 inches.
The Crow Creek SNOTEL site at 8330 feet reported 7.5 inches.
A spotter 21 miles west of Cheyenne reported 9.5 inches.
An observer 21 miles west-southwest of Warren Air Force Base reported 8.9 inches.
A spotter 19 miles southwest of Wheatland reported 8.5 inches.
An observer 20 miles southwest of Wheatland reported 7.2 inches.
A spotter nine miles north of Chugwater reported 6.5 inches.
A spotter 15 miles west of Cheyenne reported 6 inches.
An NWS observer 11 miles north of Cheyenne reported 6 inches.
A spotter three miles west-northwest of Cheyenne reported 7 inches.
A spotter five miles south-southwest of Cheyenne reported 6 inches.
A spotter one mile south-southwest of Cheyenne reported 6 inches.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Wyoming in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in Wyoming, February 2012
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: 356258, 356259, 356261, 356262, 356263, 356255, 356256, 356257, 356264, 356269, 356270, 356271, 356273.