Strong and gusty west to southwest winds affected the wind corridors through Arlington and Bordeaux during the late morning and early afternoon.
Every event with a place to put it; 3 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.
Strong and gusty west to southwest winds affected the wind corridors through Arlington and Bordeaux during the late morning and early afternoon.
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 Apr 5, 11:29 AM MST, 52 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHEYENNE WY 1229 PM MDT FRI APR 5 2013 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 1230 PM MDT FRI APR 5 2013 LEE MOUNTAIN WAVES MAKING FOR CLOUDY CONDITIONS OVER A GOOD PORTIONS OF THE AREA EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. TEMPERATURES HAS STRUGGLING TO RISE WHERE CLOUD COVER IS THICKEST...OTHERWISE TEMPERATURES RIGHT ON TRACK. WINDS ALSO NOT AS STRONG AS GUIDANCE WOULD SUGGEST UNDER THE THICKER CLOUDS. HAVE STARTED TO SEE WINDS MIXING DOWN WHERE CLOUDS HAVE NOT BEEN AS PREVALENT. STILL EXPECTING WINDS GUSTS 25 TO 35 MPH BY LATER THIS AFTERNOON AS A SHORT WAVE PUSHES ACROSS THE AREA. AT THIS TIME NOT SEEING ANY CONVECTIVE TYPE CLOUDS ON THE VISIBLE SATELLITE AND RADAR RETURNS AT THIS TIME ARE MID CLOUDS...WITH THE EXCEPTION OF OVER THE SNOWY AND SIERRA MADRE RANGES WHERE SOME LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS ARE LIKELY OCCURRING. DUE TO THE STANDING WAVE CLOUDS...WILL LIKELY NOT SEE THE INSTABILITY THE MODELS WERE EARLIER INDICATING. THEREFORE NOT EXPECTING MUCH IN THE WAY OF LIGHTNING ACTIVITY TODAY. REMOVED MENTION OF THUNDER FROM THE FORECAST...NOT TO SAY THERE COULDNT BE A FEW LIGHTNING STRIKES LATE THIS AFTERNOON AS THE SHORTWAVE PASSES OVER THE AREA. STRONG WINDS GUSTS STILL POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AS EVEN WEAK SHOWERS COULD ALLOW 50 MPH WINDS TO MIX TO THE SURFACE. && .SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT. WV IMAGERY SHOWS WELL-DEFINED UPSTREAM SHORTWAVE MOVING INTO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST EARLY THIS MORNING. THIS FEATURE WILL BE THE CULPRIT FOR A PERIOD OF BREEZY TO LOCALLY WINDY CONDITIONS AHEAD OF...AND WITH THE PASSAGE OF A PACIFIC COLD FRONT LATER TODAY. THIS WILL CREATE CONDITIONS FAVORABLE FOR A CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER DAY...MORE ON THAT IN THE FIRE WEATHER SECTION. 08Z SFC ANALYSIS SHOWS AN AMPLIFYING PRESSURE TROUGH ALONG THE FRONT RANGE AS PRESSURES HAVE BEEN FALLING SINCE LAST EVENING. SOUTHWEST WINDS HAVE BEGAN GUSTING TO AROUND 30 MPH IN THE WIND CORRIDOR BETWEEN ARLINGTON AND BORDEAUX. DEEP MIXING LATER TODAY WILL TAP INTO 40 KNOT WINDS BETWEEN H7/H6. SO...EXPECT THESE WINDS TO CONTINUE TO INCH UP THROUGH THE DAY WITH GUSTS CLIMBING TO BETWEEN 40 AND 50 MPH IN THE WIND CORRIDOR BY MIDDAY. FORTUNATELY...IT DOESNT LOOK LIKE WINDS WILL BE STRONG ENOUGH TO NECESSITATE A WIND HIGHLIGHT. PACIFIC COLD FRONT WILL MOVE INTO WESTERN ZONES BY EARLY AFTERNOON AND THRU THE REST OF THE CWFA LATE THIS AFTERNOON EARLY. THIS WILL TURN SOUTHWEST WINDS MORE WESTERLY AND PRODUCE ISOLATED SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY BEGIN AS EARLY AS LATE MORNING IN THE WEST AND SPREAD EAST DURING THE DAY. DRY LLVLS WILL KEEP INSTABILITY PARAMETERS VERY WEAK EVEN DURING THE AFTERNOON. INVERTED-V SOUNDINGS POINT TO HIGH-BASED MOSTLY VIRGA PRODUCING CONVECTION WITH GUSTY WINDS THE MAIN HAZARD. COMPRESSIONAL HEATING AHEAD OF THE FRONT ALONG WITH A STRENGTHENING DOWNSLOPE COMPONENT HAS LED TO FAVORING THE HIGH SIDE OF HIGH TEMPERATURE GUIDANCE. CONVECTION WILL WANE THIS EVENING AS THE AIR MASS STABILIZES AND THE SHORTWAVE DEPARTS. WINDS WILL ALSO SUBSIDE IN THE EVENING AS THE AIR MASS DECOUPLES. THE PATTERN WILL BECOME MORE ZONAL FOR SATURDAY. MODELS BRING IN A SERIES OF EMBEDDED SHORTWAVES INTO THE AREA SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND ESPECIALLY SATURDAY NIGHT. THE AIR MASS WILL BECOME WEAKLY UNSTABLE WITH LIFTED INDICES CLOSING IN ON 0C DURING THE AFTERNOON. ALONG WITH AN INCREASING CLOUD CANOPY FOR LATE SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT...EXPECT AT LEAST A SMALL CHANCE FOR RAIN SHOWERS. DEFINITELY WILL NOT BE AN ALL DAY EVENT NOR PRODUCE MUCH PRECIPITATION. HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL BE SLIGHTLY COOLER ON SATURDAY IN A COOLER AIR MASS BEHIND TODAYS PACIFIC COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE. THIS WILL HOLD HIGHS IN THE 50S WEST OF THE LARAMIE RANGE WITH 60S EAST OF THE LARAMIE RANGE. .LONG TERM...(SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY) ISSUED AT 320 AM MDT FRI APR 5 2013 MODELS CONTINUE TO BE IN GOOD AGREEMENT FOR THE POTENTIAL MAJOR STORM FOR EARLY NEXT WEEK. SUNDAY IS EXPECTED TO BE A DAY OF TRANSITION AND LIKELY THE LAST MILD DAY FOR A WHILE. ALL MODELS SHOW THE STRONG STORM SYSTEM ACROSS THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST MIDDAY SUNDAY. A STRONG 165 KNOT JET MAX THEN MOVES SOUTHWARD...PARALLELING THE WEST COAST SUNDAY NIGHT...WHICH WILL RESULT IN THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH REDEVELOPING FURTHER SOUTH AND INTENSIFYING SOMEWHERE NEAR THE FOUR CORNERS REGION BY MONDAY MORNING. THERE ARE SOME MINOR DIFFERENCES IN EVOLUTION AND POSITION...WITH THE GFS SHOWING THE TROUGH DIGGING SOUTH A FULL 12 TO 18 HOURS LATER COMPARED TO THE ECMWF AND GEM. CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO DETERIORATE ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA MONDAY AS THE STORM PUSHES NORTHEAST INTO COLORADO. MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY APPEAR TO BE THE PEAK OF THE STORM WITH SNOWFALL POSSIBLY LINGERING INTO TUESDAY NIGHT ACROSS THE HIGH PLAINS AS WELL. MODEL SOUNDINGS SHOW IMPRESSIVE UPSLOPE FLOW WITH 700MB NORTHEAST WINDS OVER 60 KNOTS AND EAST TO NORTHEAST FLOW UP TO THE TROPOPAUSE BY TUESDAY MORNING. SURFACE LOW RAPIDLY DEVELOPS ACROSS EASTERN COLORADO AND MOVES SLOWLY...BEFORE PUSHING INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS ON TUESDAY. MOISTURE AND LARGE SCALE FORCING IS ALL THERE WITH THIS STORM...AS ALL MODELS SHOW BETWEEN 1 TO 2 INCHES OF QPF ACROSS WYOMING...NEBRASKA...AND EASTERN COLORADO. THE MAIN QUESTION WILL BE SNOWFALL RATES AND SNOWFALL AMOUNTS. 1000/500MB THICKNESSES SUPPORT ALL SNOW ABOVE 7000 FEET...WITH PERHAPS A BRIEF MIX OF RAIN/SNOW AT THE START OF THE EVENT AS LOW AS 6000 FEET...BUT MOSTLY SNOW ALONG THE I80 AND I25 CORRIDORS ACROSS SOUTHEAST WYOMING. THE LOWEST ELEVATIONS OF SOUTHEAST WYOMING AND MOST OF WESTERN NEBRASKA WILL DEFINITELY SEE A PERIOD OF POSSIBLY HEAVY RAINFALL BEFORE THE RAIN CHANGES TO SNOW SOMETIME MONDAY NIGHT. MODELS ARE STILL IN DISAGREEMENT WITH THE POSITION/MOVEMENT OF THE SURFACE LOW AND ASSOCIATED WARM SECTOR...ALONG WITH THE DEPTH OF COLD AIR WITH THIS STORM SINCE IT DEVELOPS PRETTY FAR SOUTH. FOR NOW...CONTINUED TO INCREASE POP MONDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT BETWEEN 60 TO 90 PERCENT. FEEL PRETTY CONFIDENT THAT ALL AREAS ACROSS SOUTHEAST WYOMING AND WESTERN NEBRASKA WILL SEE PRECIPITATION...ALTHOUGH THE AMOUNTS WILL CONTINUE TO BE UNCERTAIN FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. AT THIS TIME...IT LOOKS LIKE HEAVY SNOW AMOUNTS ARE MOST LIKELY ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS AND ELEVATIONS ABOVE 5500 FEET ACROSS SOUTHEAST WYOMING. BY WEDNESDAY...ALL MODELS SHOW THIS STORM SYSTEM PUSHING WELL EAST OF THE FORECAST AREA. ALTHOUGH 500MB HEIGHTS INDICATE A WARMING TREND BY LATE NEXT WEEK...A DECENT SNOW PACK AND NORTHERLY FLOW MAY KEEP MOST OF THE AREA BELOW NORMAL AND BELOW MOS GUIDANCE. KEPT TEMPERATURES BELOW MOS AND BELOW MODEL CONSENSUS THROUGH FRIDAY. THE 00Z ECMWF SHOWS A POTENT SHORT WAVE PUSHING ACROSS THE CENTRAL ROCKIES ON FRIDAY...RESULTING IN MORE SNOWFALL FOR THE FORECAST AREA. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SATURDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 1230 PM MDT FRI APR 5 2013 GUSTY WINDS WILL BE FOUND OVER MOST OF THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON AS A SHORTWAVE MOVES OVER THE AREA. MOUNTAIN WAVE CLOUDS ARE OCCURRING AHEAD OF THIS SHORTWAVE. SEVERE TURBULENCE A POSSIBILITY NEAR THE MOUNTAIN WAVES. A FEW RAIN SHOWERS CAN BE EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING WITH THE WAVE PASSAGE. COULD SEE A FEW LIGHTNING STRIKES AS WELL. ERRATIC WINDS GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH POSSIBLE WITH SOME SHOWERS. SOME LIGHT SNOW POSSIBLE IN THE SNOWY AND SIERRA MADRE RANGES THIS EVENING. MOUNTAIN TOPS COULD BE OBSCURED. && .FIRE WEATHER... ISSUED AT 320 AM MDT FRI APR 5 2013 CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS CAN BE EXPECTED OVER THE EASTERN PLAINS TODAY. A RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THESE LOCATIONS. AN UPPER-LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL DRAG A PACIFIC COLD FRONT FROM WEST TO EAST ACROSS THE DISTRICT THIS AFTERNOON. WINDS WILL INCREASE AHEAD OF...AND WITH THIS COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE. DOWNSLOPE FLOW OUT ON THE EASTERN PLAINS WILL REDUCE HUMIDITIES TO CRITICAL LEVELS DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS. THIS IN COMBINATION WITH WINDS THAT COULD GUST AS HIGH AS 35 MPH OVER THE EASTERN PLAINS WILL PRODUCE CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS. WEAK...HIGH-BASED SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS WILL ACCOMPANY THE FRONT DURING THE AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING HOURS AS WELL. DO NOT ANTICIPATE MUCH PRECIPITATION FROM THIS ACTIVITY SO CANT RULE OUT THE POSSIBILITY OF FIRE STARTS. CONDITIONS WILL IMPROVE FRIDAY EVENING AS WINDS SUBSIDE AND HUMIDITIES RECOVERY. TEMPERATURES WILL SLOWLY COOL OVER THE WEEKEND AND INTO NEXT WEEK AS THE PATTERN TURNS MORE UNSETTLED. THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR A SIGNIFICANT PRECIPITATION EVENT LATE MONDAY AND TUESDAY ACROSS THE DISTRICT. STAY TUNED AS DETAILS BECOME MORE CLEAR OVER THE COMING DAYS. && .CYS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WY...RED FLAG WARNING UNTIL 7 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR WYZ301-310. NE...RED FLAG WARNING UNTIL 7 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR NEZ311>313. && UPDATE...LIEBL SHORT TERM...HAHN LONG TERM...TJT AVIATION...LIEBL FIRE WEATHER...HAHN
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHEYENNE WY 612 AM MDT FRI APR 5 2013 WYZ101-103>107-109>119-061215- CONVERSE COUNTY LOWER ELEVATIONS-NORTH LARAMIE RANGE- FERRIS/SEMINOE/SHIRLEY MOUNTAINS-SHIRLEY BASIN- CENTRAL LARAMIE RANGE AND SOUTHWEST PLATTE COUNTY- EAST PLATTE 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- 612 AM MDT FRI APR 5 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST WYOMING. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS SOUTHEAST WYOMING. GUSTY WINDS UP TO 50 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY WIDESPREAD ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS MUCH OF THE REGION FROM MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH EARLY WEDNESDAY. AMOUNTS ARE UNCERTAIN AT THIS TIME...BUT THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR A STRONG LATE SEASON WINTER STORM WITH SIGNIFICANT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS. STAY TUNED TO THE LATEST FORECASTS FOR FURTHER DETAILS REGARDING THIS EVENT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED TODAY AND TONIGHT. && 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-WYZ102-108-061215- DAWES-BOX BUTTE-SCOTTS BLUFF-BANNER-MORRILL-KIMBALL-CHEYENNE- NORTH SIOUX-SOUTH SIOUX-NIOBRARA COUNTY-GOSHEN COUNTY- 612 AM MDT FRI APR 5 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE WESTERN NEBRASKA PANHANDLE AND EAST CENTRAL WYOMING. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP LATE THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS WESTERN NEBRASKA. GUSTY WINDS UP TO 50 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY WIDESPREAD ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS MUCH OF THE REGION FROM MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY. AMOUNTS ARE UNCERTAIN AT THIS TIME...BUT THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR A STRONG LATE SEASON WINTER STORM. STAY TUNED TO THE LATEST FORECASTS FOR FURTHER DETAILS REGARDING THIS EVENT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED TODAY AND TONIGHT. && THIS PRODUCT...ALONG WITH OTHER WEATHER...HYDROLOGIC...AND CLIMATE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ON THE WEB AT... HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/CHEYENNE TT
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHEYENNE WY 1022 AM MDT FRI APR 5 2013 WYZ110-051830- NORTH SNOWY RANGE FOOTHILLS- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ARLINGTON...ELK MOUNTAIN 1022 AM MDT FRI APR 5 2013 STRONG WEST TO SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL BE FOUND AROUND THE ARLINGTON AREA TODAY. THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL BE FOUND ALONG INTERSTATE 80 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 235 AND 285. WINDS WILL FREQUENTLY GUST BETWEEN 40 AND 50 MPH. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO SLOWLY SUBSIDE AFTER 6 PM MDT THIS EVENING. LIEBL
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHEYENNE WY
1139 AM MDT FRI APR 05 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1115 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 7 NW ELK MOUNTAIN 41.76N 106.51W
04/05/2013 M54 MPH CARBON WY DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
46 MPH SUSTAINED
1115 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 9 WNW ELK MOUNTAIN 41.74N 106.57W
04/05/2013 M53 MPH CARBON WY DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
43 MPH SUSTAINED
&&
BCHAPMANSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHEYENNE WY 1143 AM MDT FRI APR 5 2013 WYZ110-052000- NORTH SNOWY RANGE FOOTHILLS- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ARLINGTON...ELK MOUNTAIN 1143 AM MDT FRI APR 5 2013 STRONG WEST TO SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL BE FOUND AROUND THE ARLINGTON AREA TODAY. THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL BE FOUND ALONG INTERSTATE 80 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 235 AND 285. WINDS WILL FREQUENTLY GUST BETWEEN 45 AND 55 MPH. AT 1130 AM MDT...A WIND GUST OF 57 MILES PER HOUR WAS REPORTED BY A WYOMING DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION WEATHER SENSOR. THIS SENSOR IS LOCATED AT HALLECK RIDGE OR NEAR MILE MARKER 252 ALONG INTERSTATE 80. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO SLOWLY SUBSIDE AFTER 6 PM MDT THIS EVENING. THE WYOMING DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ADVISES NO LIGHT TRAILER TRAFFIC DUE TO WIND SPEEDS ABOVE 50 MPH. THESE WINDS MAY CAUSE LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL OR A BLOW OVER TO HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES TRAVELING EMPTY OR WITH A LIGHT LOAD. DRIVERS OF SUCH VEHICLES ARE ADVISED TO DELAY TRAVEL. LIEBL
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHEYENNE WY
1211 PM MDT FRI APR 05 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1145 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 9 WNW ELK MOUNTAIN 41.74N 106.57W
04/05/2013 M50 MPH CARBON WY DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
41 MPH SUSTAINED
&&
BCHAPMANPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHEYENNE WY
118 PM MDT FRI APR 05 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0100 PM NON-TSTM WND GST 7 NW ELK MOUNTAIN 41.76N 106.51W
04/05/2013 M51 MPH CARBON WY DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
41 MPH SUSTAINED
&&
BCHAPMANThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The WYDOT sensor at Arlington measured a wind gust of 58 mph.
The WYDOT sensor at Wagonhound measured a wind gust of 60 mph.
The WYDOT sensor at Bordeaux measured a wind gust of 58 mph.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Wyoming in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in Wyoming, April 2013
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: 433337, 433336, 433338.