A long-lived winter storm moved across western and central Wyoming beginning early Saturday, January 11, and continuing through the afternoon of January 13. West of the Continental Divide, heavy snow fell in the mountains as a moist, westerly flow infiltrated the region.
Every event with a place to put it; 23 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.
A long-lived winter storm moved across western and central Wyoming beginning early Saturday, January 11, and continuing through the afternoon of January 13. West of the Continental Divide, heavy snow fell in the mountains as a moist, westerly flow infiltrated the region. Snowfall of one to two feet was common, with several reports topping two feet. The heaviest snow fell in the Salt River and Wyoming ranges. Strong wind accompanied this storm system with some sections of central and western Wyoming registering winds in excess of 60 mph.
High wind made its return to areas east of the Continental Divide as northwest flow prevailed across Wyoming on the backside of this storm system. Favored areas in northwest flow aloft saw wind gusts approaching or exceeding 60 mph and in some cases 70 mph. Crowheart clocked a 78 mph gust and much of Johnson County saw gusts between 59 and 62 mph as a cold front pushed south through the county. The colder air also brought a quick, but intense, period of snow to the Cody Foothills on the evening of January 13 and early morning of January 14. Snowfall totals of 8 to 12 inches fell in less than 12 hours within a swath from Cody to Meeteetse.
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 10, 10:36 PM MST, 1 hour 24 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY 1036 PM MST FRI JAN 10 2014 .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY (ISSUED AT 216 PM MST) BROAD TROF ACROSS CONUS...A LITTLE MORE AMPLIFIED WITH THE PASSAGE OF SHORTWAVE...JUST NOW REACHING THE WRN EDGE OF THE PLAINS...WITH NOSE OF UPSTREAM JET NOW RIDING INTO WRN WY THIS MORNING...HELPING TO RE-START LIGHT SNOW OVR THE WEST. EVEN FURTHER UPSTREAM...LARGE VIGOROUS TROF IS LAYING IN WAIT NEAR 40N 150W...AND DUE TO REINVIGORATE WINTER POTENTIAL ACROSS THE WRN AND SRN PORTIONS OF THE FA. MAJOR WINTER WEATHER CAN BE EXPECTED ACROSS THE WRN MOUNTAINS AT LEAST THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING. THE BIG HORN MOUNTAINS WILL ALSO SEE SOME SNOW...BUT TO A MUCH LESSER EXTENT THAN OUT WEST. OTHERWISE...UPR LVL RIDGING WILL WARM THE REST OF THE FA UP NICELY...AND ALL WOULD BE GOOD IF IT WERE NOT FOR THE EXTREMELY TIGHT P AND T GRADS THAT ARE FORMING...ALONG WITH VERY STRONG UPR LVL FLOW FROM A STRONG JET MIGRATING EWD ACROSS THE STATE TONIGHT AND TOMORROW. THE SFC SET-UP IS NOTHING NEW...FLOWING THE USUAL ABSAROKA...A LEE AREAS...SOUTH TO WIND RIVER RANGE...THEN EWD INTO NATRONA COUNTY. SO SEGMENTED HIGH WIND WARNING JUST REPLACE THE WATCH PUT UP YESTERDAY...STARTING INT HE NORTH...AND HEADING SWD OVERNIGHT AND THROUGH THE DAY TOMORROW. A WAIT AND SEE WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR THE SRN TIER OF COUNTIES FOR SAT NIGHT THRU SUNDAY. THE MAIN EVENT TO FOR THE WINTER WX OUT WEST BEGINS LATER TONIGHT WITH THE ARRIVAL OF BETTER PAC MOISTURE UNDER TRANSITIONING UPR LVLS...GIVING NEARLY ZONAL FLOW CONDITIONS AS RIDGING PROGRESSES AHEAD OF THE NEXT BIGGER SYSTEM DUE TO BEGIN TO BUST THROUGH THE WRN PORTION OF THE STATE BY SAT AFTERNOON. MOISTURE AND UPR DIVERGENCE GETS HERE WITH WITH A PHASING AND QUITE STRONG JET ARRIVING SOON AFTER THE LEAD PORTION OF THE WAVE ARRIVES. THIS IS WHEN WE SHOULD SEE THE HEAVIEST POTENTIAL FOR SNOWFALL...AT THE END OF MY PERIOD...AND INTO THE BEGINNING OF THE EXTENDED. THIS ONE WILL HAVE IT ALL...FROM 2+ INCH/HR SNOW RATES WITH GUSTS ACROSS THE HIGHER RIDGE-TOPS APPROACHING 80 MPH AT TIMES. WINTER WX WARNING HAS REPLACED THE WATCH FOR THE APPROPRIATE AREAS. ALSO PUT ZONE 25 INTO A WINTER ADVISORY FOR THE SAME TIME PERIODS AS THE WARNINGS...MAINLY FOR THE POTENTIAL FOR UP TO 6 INCHES OVR THE WRN PORTIONS OF THE ZONE...ESP NEAR BONDURANT. ONE OTHER THING WE WILL HAVE TO WATCH IS THE POTENTIAL FOR SNOW TURNING TO RAIN/SNOW...THEN BACK TO SNOW IN THE STAR VALLEY. THUS THEY HAVE NOT BEEN INCLUDED IN THE WARNING AREA...AND WILL BE FURTHER ASSESSED FOR ADVISORY CONDITIONS TO START TOMORROW NIGHT. .LONG TERM...SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY MOIST WEST FLOW WILL CONTINUE ACROSS WESTERN WYOMING SATURDAY EVENING. SNOWFALL WILL BE WIDESPREAD ACROSS THE WESTERN MOUNTAINS. ALONG AND EAST OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE...MOUNTAIN WAVES ARE EXPECTED TO PRODUCE STRONG WINDS ALONG THE EAST SLOPES OF THE ABSAROKA AND WIND RIVER MOUNTAINS. FROM SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH MID DAY SUNDAY SOME OF THE WEST FACING SLOPES OF THE WEST MAY SEE OVER TWO FEET OF SNOW WITH SOME VALLEY AREAS ACCUMULATING AROUND A FOOT OR MORE OF NEW SNOW. ALONG WITH THE SNOW...STRONG WINDS WILL CAUSE PLENTY OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW...ESPECIALLY OVER THE PASSES. THE SOUTHWEST WILL SEE BETTER CHANCES FOR SNOWFALL LATE SATURDAY NIGHT. THE STRONG WEST FLOW SHOULD MIX OUT THE BASINS WITH GENERALLY WARMER TEMPERATURES EAST OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE OVER THE WEEKEND. LITTLE IF ANY SNOWFALL IS EXPECTED IN THE WIND RIVER AND BIG HORN BASINS AND ON THE EASTERN PLAINS. AREAS ALONG THE BASE OF THE MOUNTAINS MAY SEE SOME BLOW OVER SHOWERS WITH THE STRONG WINDS. A HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE ALOFT WILL BUILD INTO WESTERN WYOMING WITH THE FLOW ALOFT DRYING AND BECOMING MORE NORTHWESTERLY. SNOWFALL AMOUNTS WILL DECREASE THEN END BY TUESDAY. WITH DRY CONDITIONS EXPECTED THROUGH FRIDAY. LITTLE IF ANY SNOWFALL IS EXPECTED IN THE WIND RIVER AND BIG HORN BASINS AND ON THE EASTERN PLAINS. TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN MODERATED THROUGH FRIDAY. && .AVIATION.../06Z ISSUANCE/ WEST OF THE DIVIDE...KBPI/KJAC/KPNA/KRKS ROUTES UNSETTLED WEATHER MOVES INTO WESTERN WY BY 12Z. SNOW AND WIND AND MVFR TO IFR CONDITIONS WILL OCCUR IN THE WESTERN MOUNTAINS AND AROUND KJAC AIRPORT SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT. SOME SNOW IS FORECAST TO MOVE THROUGH THE KPNA AND KBPI AFTER 00Z SUNDAY UNTIL 06Z SUNDAY WITH MVFR TO IFR CONDITIONS AT TIMES. LOCAL MVFR CONDITIONS WILL OCCUR AT KRKS TERMINAL SITE OVERNIGHT DUE TO LOWER CLOUDS. THEN VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL AFTER 14Z AT KRKS THROUGH 06Z SUNDAY. EAST OF THE DIVIDE...KCOD/KCPR/KLND/KRIW/KWRL ROUTES VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT. EXPECT A VERY WINDY DAY AT KCPR AIRPORT. BREEZY TO WINDY AT THE KCOD AIRPORT FOR MOST OF THE PERIOD. SOME SNOW WILL OCCUR OVER THE ABSAROKA MOUNTAINS AND AT THE HIGH ELEVATIONS AND ALONG THE EAST SLOPES OF THE WIND RIVER MOUNTAINS SATURDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT...WITH MVFR TO IFR CONDITIONS. && .FIRE WEATHER... NO FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS THROUGH THE WEEKEND. HOWEVER...THERE WILL BE CONTINUED CONCERN OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS AS VERY WINDY CONDITIONS RETURN TO THE REGION...WITH GUSTS REACHING FROM 50 TO 60 MPH TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY...INCREASING TO 60 TO 80 MPH ACROSS HIGHER TERRAIN AND THE LEE SIDE AREAS OF NORTH/SOUTH RUNNING MOUNTAINS. ALSO..AREAS NEAR THE GREEN/RATTLESNAKE MOUNTAIN RANGES AND EAST INTO NATRONA COUNTY ON SATURDAY WILL BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO GUSTS TO 60 MPH ON SATURDAY. && .RIW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... HIGH WIND WATCH FROM SATURDAY EVENING THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON WYZ027>030. HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 2 AM TO 8 PM MST SATURDAY WYZ015-016-019-020-022. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 11 AM MST SUNDAY WYZ025. WINTER STORM WARNING FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 11 AM MST SUNDAY WYZ001-002-012>014-024. HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 8 PM THIS EVENING TO 8 PM MST SATURDAY WYZ003. && SHORT TERM...BRAUN LONG TERM...C.BAKER AVIATION...AR FIRE WEATHER...BRAUN
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY 338 PM MST FRI JAN 10 2014 WYZ001>020-022>030-111200- 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- 338 PM MST FRI JAN 10 2014 ...WINTER STORM WARNING FOR THE WESTERN MOUNTAINS AND JACKSON HOLE FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING... ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR THE GREEN RIVER BASIN FOOTHILLS FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING... ...MULTIPLE HIGH WIND WARNINGS AND WATCHES FOR PORTIONS OF THE AREA FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WESTERN AND CENTRAL WYOMING. .DAY ONE...TODAY PERIODS OF LIGHT SNOW WILL FALL ACROSS THE WESTERN MOUNTAINS AND FAR WESTERN VALLEYS. WINDY CONDITIONS ACROSS SWEETWATER AND SOUTHERN LINCOLN COUNTIES WILL CAUSE AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW AND REDUCED VISIBILITY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY...A MAJOR WINTER STORM WILL BRING SIGNIFICANT SNOW...AND BLOWING SNOW TO PORTIONS OF WESTERN...AND POSSIBLY SOUTHWEST WYOMING. STRONG TO POSSIBLY DAMAGING WINDS EXPECTED...ESPECIALLY IN FAVORED WINDY AREAS. PLEASE SEE THE WINTER STORM WATCH AND HIGH WIND WATCH PRODUCTS FOR MORE DETAILS. MONDAY...STRONG WINDS REMAIN POSSIBLE IN FAVORABLE WINDY AREAS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SNOWFALL AMOUNTS. TEAM RIVERTON
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
18 high wind, 5 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy snow in Yellowstone over 2 days. The highest amount was reported was at the Lewis Lake SNOTEL where 26 inches was reported.
Heavy snow fell over the Absaroka mountains. The highest amount recorded was 23 inches at the Evening Star SNOTEL.
Heavy snow fell across the Salt and Wyoming Ranges. Some of the highest snowfall totals included 31 inches at the Spring Creek Divide SNOTEL and 29 inches at the Willow Creek SNOTEL.
Heavy snow fell across the region. Some of the highest snowfall amounts included 26 inches at the Grassy Lake SNOTEL, 24 inches at the top of the mountain at Jackson Hole and 23 inches at Grand Targhee.
An 83 mph wind gust was recorded at Fales Rock; 16 miles south of Hiland. Other strong wind gusts included 77 mph at Camp Creek and 68 mph at Beaver Rim.
A station west of Clark recorded a wind gust to 89 mph.
Numerous gusts over 58 mph were reported at Hiland including a maximum of 65 mph. The Casper International Airport reported a wind gust to 60 mph.
The Chief Joseph mesonet site topped out at 89 mph just before 1330MST.
A 79 mph wind gust was recorded at Red Canyon.
A 66 mph wind gust was reported at the Lander airport.
The Clark 8SSW sensor on State Highway 120 clocked a 65 mph gust. Two gusts to 58 mph were recorded at a station west of Clark.
A 58 mph wind gust was recorded at the Riverton Airport.
Camp Creek RAWS recorded a 69 mph gust while Fales Rock RAWS topped out at 61 mph.
A peak wind speed of 86 mph was recorded around 1600MST at the Chief Joseph mesonet station.
Wind gusts to 78 mph and 91 mph were registered at stations 8 miles SSW and just west of Clark, respectively.
A combination of high wind and blowing snow closed US Highway 16 over Powder River Pass.
Several wind gusts past 58 mph were recorded at the Buffalo Airport; with the maximum gust being 61 mph.
A wind gust of 78 mph was measured at Crowheart. In addition, a gust to 66 mph was recorded at the Dubois airport.
Wind gusts to 64 mph were recorded at Snow Springs RAWS. Other high wind gusts included 63 mph at Bitter Creek and 60 mph at Tipton.
A CWOP station near Powell had sustained winds above 40 mph for several hours. Another CWOP near the same location measured a gust to 62 mph.
Some 59 mph wind gusts were recorded on Interstate 25 north of Kaycee.
Wind gusts of 82 and 83 mph were measured at Snider Basin RAWS.
A band of high ratio snow set up over the Cody foothills and brought heavy snow from Cody south to Meeteetse. 12 inches of snow was measured in Meeteetse and 8-12 inches around Cody.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Wyoming in 2014Every state in 2014This day in weather historyWarnings in Wyoming, January 2014
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: 486193, 486194, 486198, 486197, 486215, 486199, 486217, 497192, 486203, 486298, 497185, 486300, 497179, 486303, 497186, 486305, 486302, 486208, 486299, 486306, 486301, 486304, 486307.