Strong winds aloft mixed down to the surface and brought high winds to portions of eastern Sweetwater County. Winds were sustained over 40 mph at several automated stations along Interstate 80 from Table Rock to around Wamsutter.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 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 RIW wrote it up.
Strong winds aloft mixed down to the surface and brought high winds to portions of eastern Sweetwater County. Winds were sustained over 40 mph at several automated stations along Interstate 80 from Table Rock to around Wamsutter.
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 Mar 18, 1:38 PM MST, 52 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY 238 PM MDT MON MAR 18 2013 .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY HIGH WINDS REMAIN THE FORECAST CHALLENGE THIS EVENING...WITH A 120-130KT JET MAX MOVING OVER WESTERN AND CENTRAL WY LATE THIS AFTERNOON. THE JET IS ORIENTATED IN A NW-SE DIRECTION...WHICH IS NOT THE MOST FAVORABLE DIRECTION FOR DOWNWARD MOTION. 500MB FLOW IS STILL TRENDING FASTER WITH 50-65KT FROM THE NORTHWEST ACROSS CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN PORTIONS. 700MB FLOW BEGINS WESTERLY THIS AFTERNOON...INCREASING AND TURNING MORE NORTHWESTERLY THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT. 50KT FLOW WILL OCCUR BRIEFLY ACROSS SOUTHERN PORTIONS BETWEEN 00-06Z. THUS...NO MAJOR CHANGES FROM THE PREVIOUS PACKAGE...CONTINUING THE FORECAST FOR STRONG WINDS ACROSS THE WESTERN MOUNTAINS...WIND RIVER BASIN AND SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THE CWA. DUE TO THESE FORECASTED CONDITIONS...AND GUSTS NEAR 50 MPH ALREADY OCCURRING BEFORE 17Z NEAR RKS...ISSUED A HIGH WIND WARNING FOR EASTERN SWEETWATER COUNTY THROUGH 04Z. RESIDUAL INSTABILITY REMAINS ACROSS THE WESTERN MOUNTAINS...WITH MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES OF 7-9 DEG/KM. THERE ARE ALSO DECENT LAPSE RATES OVER EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE BIG HORN BASIN AND THE I25 CORRIDOR. HAVE KEPT SNOW GOING IN THESE AREAS THROUGH 09Z...WITH ONLY ISOLATED SHOWERS REMAINING BY EARLY MORNING TUESDAY. TUESDAY WILL BE THE QUIETEST DAY OF THE PERIOD...AS RIDGING AND HIGH PRESSURE BUILD INTO THE AREA. ALTHOUGH SKIES WILL REMAIN MOSTLY CLOUDY ACROSS WESTERN PORTIONS...THE REST OF THE CWA WILL HAVE PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES AND CALMER WINDS. .LONG TERM...TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT BRIEF SHORTWAVE RIDGING TUESDAY NIGHT AHEAD OF OUR DEVELOPING COLD TROUGH FOR WEDNESDAY THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE MEDIUM RANGE PERIOD. THE PATTERN REALLY GETS BLOCKED UP WITH A LARGE SCALE TROUGH DEVELOPING OVER THE EAST...RIDGE NORTH OF HUDSON BAY AND POLAR VORTEX OVER ALASKA. ONCE OUR MIDWEEK TROUGH MOVES IN ON THURSDAY...IT CONTINUES TO BE RE-ENERGIZED BY SEVERAL SHORTWAVES DROPPING DOWN IN THE COLD UNSTABLE NW FLOW. MAIN STORM SYSTEM WILL BE WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY WITH ISENTROPIC UPGLIDE INCREASING ACROSS THE WEST ON WEDNESDAY LEADING TO WIDESPREAD SNOW...POSSIBLY MIXED WITH RAIN IN THE VALLEYS DURING THE DAY. OTHERWISE...POTENTIAL SIGNIFICANT SNOW EVENT IN THE WEST...ESPECIALLY MOUNTAINS...WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING WITH TROUGH AND JET STREAK DYNAMICS PROVIDING ROUND TWO SNOW LATER WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY MORNING...BEFORE SHIFTING EAST OF THE DIVIDE. STILL LOOKS LIKE A MID LEVEL CIRCULATION MAY COME INTO PLAY ACROSS OUR ERN ZONES WITH CASPER THE MAIN BATTLEGROUND THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING...WHEN SIGNIFICANT SNOW COULD DEVELOP AS UPSLOPE COMBINES THE FORCING/DEFORMATION ON THE POTENTIAL NW SIDE OF THE CIRCULATION. INCREASING WIND EAST OF THE DIVIDE AHEAD OF THIS SYSTEM WEDNESDAY BUT MORE SO ON THURSDAY. POTENTIALLY EVEN HIGH WIND IN THE SOUTH. COLD AND UNSETTLED FRIDAY WITH ANOTHER SHORTWAVE DROPPING DOWN IN THE NW FLOW WITH COLD CORE REMAINING OVERHEAD FOR WIDESPREAD MOUNTAIN SNOW SHOWERS AND BUILDING SNOW SHOWERS IN THE LOWER ELEVATIONS IN THE AFTERNOON. DECREASING SNOW SHOWERS SATURDAY WITH BUILDING HEIGHTS BUT STILL A CHILLY DAY. COLD NW FLOW LOOKS LIKE IT WILL CONTINUE THROUGH SUNDAY WITH THE GFS A LITTLE MORE BULLISH HERE WITH A MOIST SHORTWAVE AND MORE SNOW ACROSS THE WEST AND SOUTH AND A CHANCE OF SNOW ELSEWHERE. ECMWF WAVE IS MUCH FURTHER NORTH WITH ANY SNOW CONFINED TO THE MOUNTAINS. BOTH SHOW YET ANOTHER SHORTWAVE DROPPING SE ON MONDAY WITH THE ECMWF MORE BULLISH ON THIS ONE WITH WIDESPREAD SNOW AND ANOTHER SHOT OF REINFORCING COLD AIR. GFS IS COLD AND UNSETTLED JUST NOT AS STRONG A WAVE AS THE ECMWF. OVERALL...COLD AND UNSETTLED THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY WITH HIGHS IN THE 20S AND 30S WEST WITH 30S AND SOME 40S EAST WITH LOWS IN THE TEENS AND 20S AND SOME SINGLE DIGITS TO EVEN BELOW ZERO OUT WEST. && .AVIATION.../00Z ISSUANCE/ VERY STRONG NORTHWEST FLOW WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TONIGHT...WITH WINDY CONDITIONS ALREADY OCCURRING NEAR KRKS. LOCALLY HIGH WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS WILL OCCUR FOR MUCH OF THE STATE...EXCEPT EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE BIG HORN BASIN. KWRL WILL NOT BE AFFECTED...HOWEVER THE STRONG WEST/NORTHWEST FLOW WILL REMAIN ALOFT. WINDS WILL BEGIN TO WEAKEN AFTER 04Z...CONTINUING TO DECREASE THROUGH 12-14Z TUESDAY. THERE WILL ALSO BE ISOLATED TO SCATTERED CONVECTION THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING...OVER THE NORTHWEST AND NORTHERN MOUNTAINS. EXPECT MOUNTAIN OBSCURATION WITH THIS ACTIVITY. KJAC WILL HAVE THE BEST SHOT AT BEING AFFECTED BY THIS CONVECTION AND WILL TEMPO SOME IFR/MVFR CONDITIONS AT KJAC DURING THE AFTERNOON. HOWEVER...THE IFR/MVFR CONDITIONS SHOULD BE RELATIVELY BRIEF DUE THE SHOWERY NATURE OF THE ACTIVITY. DUE TO THIS STRONG FLOW...VERY TURBULENT CONDITIONS WILL BE OBSERVED...ESPECIALLY ON LEE SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN RANGES. && .FIRE WEATHER... WINDY AND DRY CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE REST OF THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS MUCH OF WESTERN AND CENTRAL WYOMING. THERE WILL ALSO BE SHOWERS ACROSS THE WESTERN AND NORTHERN MOUNTAINS...AND PORTIONS OF THE BIG HORN BASIN. IT WILL BE WARMER AND DRIER ON TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY...EXCEPT FOR THE WEST ON WEDNESDAY WHEN ANOTHER SYSTEM MOVES IN...SPREADING RAIN AND SNOW ACROSS THE SOUTH WEDNESDAY NIGHT. && .RIW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 10 PM MDT THIS EVENING WYZ030. && SHORT TERM...LAVOIE LONG TERM...SKRBAC AVIATION...LAVOIE FIRE WEATHER...LAVOIE
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY 1207 PM MDT MON MAR 18 2013 WYZ001>020-022>030-191100- 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- 1207 PM MDT MON MAR 18 2013 ...HIGH WIND WARNING SOUTH-CENTRAL WYOMING THROUGH THIS EVENING... .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT VERY WINDY ACROSS EASTERN PORTIONS OF SWEETWATER COUNTY THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THIS EVENING...WITH GUSTS OVER 60 MPH EXPECTED. WINDY TO LOCALLY STRONG WINDS EXPECTED ACROSS THE REST OF SWEETWATER COUNTY...AND POSSIBLY PORTIONS OF THE WIND RIVER BASIN. TRAVEL COULD BE IMPACTED FOR LIGHT TRAILERS AND HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES ESPECIALLY ALONG NORTH SOUTH ORIENTED ROADS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...SNOW IS LIKELY IN THE MOUNTAINS AND FAR WEST VALLEYS EACH DAY. A CHANCE OF SNOW ELSEWHERE THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY DAMAGE THAT OCCURRED FROM THE STRONG WIND ON SUNDAY OR ANY GUSTS TODAY THAT EXCEED 50 MPH. THANK YOU. TEAM RIVERTON
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY 237 PM MDT MON MAR 18 2013 WYZ019-190200- GREEN MOUNTAINS AND RATTLESNAKE RANGE- 237 PM MDT MON MAR 18 2013 WEST WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE INTO THE EARLY EVENING. EXPECT 25 TO 35 MPH SUSTAINED WINDS WITH GUSTS OF 45 TO 55 MPH BY LATE AFTERNOON...CONTINUING THROUGH MIDNIGHT AND DECREASING SHARPLY THEREAFTER. EXPECT AREAS OF BLOWING DUST AND DIFFICULT TRAVEL FOR LIGHT TRAILERS AND HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...ESPECIALLY ALONG NORTH SOUTH ORIENTED ROADS. WYZ014>018-190200- LANDER FOOTHILLS-UPPER WIND RIVER BASIN-WIND RIVER BASIN- WIND RIVER MOUNTAINS EAST-WIND RIVER MOUNTAINS WEST- 237 PM MDT MON MAR 18 2013 WEST WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE INTO THE EVENING. EXPECT 25 TO 35 MPH SUSTAINED WINDS WITH GUSTS OF 45 TO 55 MPH BY SUNSET...WINDS COULD GUST OVER 60 MPH ON SOUTH PASS. THESE GUSTY WIND ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH MIDNIGHT AND DECREASE SHARPLY THEREAFTER. EXPECT AREAS OF BLOWING DUST AND DIFFICULT TRAVEL FOR LIGHT TRAILERS AND HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...ESPECIALLY ALONG NORTH SOUTH ORIENTED ROADS. WYZ024-026>029-190200- FLAMING GORGE-ROCK SPRINGS AND GREEN RIVER- SALT RIVER AND WYOMING RANGES-SOUTH LINCOLN COUNTY- UPPER GREEN RIVER BASIN- 237 PM MDT MON MAR 18 2013 WEST WINDS WILL INCREASE INTO THE EARLY EVENING. EXPECT 25 TO 35 MPH SUSTAINED WINDS WITH GUSTS OF 45 TO 55 MPH BY LATE AFTERNOON... CONTINUING THROUGH MIDNIGHT AND DECREASING SHARPLY THEREAFTER. EXPECT AREAS OF BLOWING DUST AND DIFFICULT TRAVEL FOR LIGHT TRAILERS AND HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...ESPECIALLY ALONG NORTH SOUTH ORIENTED ROADS. WYZ002-003-190200- ABSAROKA MOUNTAINS-CODY FOOTHILLS- 237 PM MDT MON MAR 18 2013 WEST WINDS WILL INCREASE INTO THE EARLY EVENING. EXPECT 25 TO 35 MPH SUSTAINED WINDS WITH GUSTS OF 45 TO 55 MPH IN THE EVENING WITH GUSTS OVER 60 MPH POSSIBLE IN THE MOUNTAINS...CONTINUING THROUGH MIDNIGHT AND DECREASING SHARPLY TOWARD MORNING. EXPECT AREAS OF BLOWING DUST AND DIFFICULT TRAVEL FOR LIGHT TRAILERS AND HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...ESPECIALLY ALONG NORTH SOUTH ORIENTED ROADS. TEAM RIVERTON
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Sustained winds of over 40 mph were reported at both Continental Divide and Tipton.
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, March 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: 433598.