Wyoming, 2016Avalanche in Wyoming, February 19, 2016
February 19, 2016 · NWS BYZ · 1 event in 1 county or zone
A 39-year-old man from North Dakota was killed in an avalanche in the Big Horn National Forest. S.
- Deaths
- 1
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 1
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.
A 39-year-old man from North Dakota was killed in an avalanche in the Big Horn National Forest. Deputies from the Sheridan County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to the Hunt Mountain Road area near U.S. Highway 14 West just after 12 pm. The man was snowmobiling when the avalanche occurred. According to the Sheridan County Coroner's Office, the avalanche knocked the man off his snowmobile and into a tree which resulted in the mans neck being fractured. The man was deceased when search and rescue arrived.
What forecasters said that day
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 Billings, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 19, 9:07 AM MST, 2 hours 53 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Feb 19, 9:07 AM MST, 2 hours 53 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BILLINGS MT
907 AM MST FRI FEB 19 2016
.UPDATE...
JUST MINOR TWEAKS TO THE FORECAST THIS MORNING. STILL LOTS OF WIND
POTENTIAL ACROSS THE REGION BASED ON 850-700MB LAYER WIND FIELDS.
THE THREAT DOES GENERALLY DECREASE FROM WEST TO EAST THROUGH THE
DAY THOUGH. NOT MUCH HAPPENING YET THIS MORNING...BUT AS LOW
LEVELS WARM AND LAPSE RATES INCREASE BY MIDDAY THE WINDS SHOULD
PICK UP. WE ARE HOPEFUL WE WILL BE ABLE TO LET THE WESTERN WARNING
HIGHLIGHTS EXPIRE AT NOON. WE WILL UPDATE THE ZONES AND OTHER
PRODUCTS AS NECESSARY LATER THIS MORNING BEFORE THE NOON VALID
PERIOD COMES UP ON THOSE HIGH WIND WARNINGS. BT
&&
.SHORT TERM...VALID FOR TDY AND SAT...
INTENSE MID LEVEL WINDS OVER THE REGION COMBINED WITH STRONG
PRESSURE GRADIENTS WILL CONTINUE TO BRING HIGH WINDS THROUGH THE
MORNING HOURS BEFORE WEAKENING AND SHIFTING EAST THIS AFTERNOON.
WATER VAPOR IMAGERY SHOWS A SMALL UPPER LEVEL LOW OVER SOUTHWEST
ALBERTA WITH A SYSTEM MOVING THROUGH THE DAKOTAS AND ANOTHER
SYSTEM APPROACHING THE WEST COAST. THE UPSTREAM SYSTEM IS TRYING
TO BUILDING RIDGING INTO THE AREA BUT THE SMALL ALBERTA LOW IS NOT
BUDGING AND THIS IS KEEPING THE STRONG WINDS IN PLACE. DIURNAL
COOLING SLOWED THE WINDS DOWN A BIT BUT RADAR SHOWS SOME SHOWER
ACTIVITY NEAR THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE AND THIS IS ALLOWING SOME OF
THE MOMENTUM TO MIX DOWN. AS TEMPERATURES RISE THIS MORNING EXPECT
WINDS WHICH ARE CURRENTLY SHOWING UP ON HIGH ELEVATION STATIONS TO
BEGIN MIXING DOWN. THE ALBERTA LOW DOES GET KICKED EASTWARD THIS
AFTERNOON TAKING THE TIGHTER PRESSURE GRADIENTS WITH IT WHICH WILL
RELAX THE WINDS OVER THE WESTERN ZONES A BIT BUT KEEP WINDS STRONG
OVER SOUTHEAST MONTANA. CURRENT HIGH WIND WARNING AND ADVISORIES
LOOK WELL TIMED AND WILL NOT MAKE ANY CHANGES. TEMPERATURES WILL
AGAIN BE WARM TODAY AS MIXING IS KEEPING MUCH COOLING FROM
HAPPENING AND MANY LOCATIONS ARE STILL IN THE 40S.
UPSTREAM SYSTEM FILLS QUICKLY THIS EVENING AND REPLENISHES THE
LEESIDE TROUGHING. GAP FLOW AREAS WILL NOT SEE MUCH RELIEF FROM
THE WINDS BUT SPEEDS WILL BE NOT QUITE AS HIGH. WINDS WILL BE
LOWER ACROSS THE PLAINS BUT ENOUGH MIXING WILL OCCUR AND CLOUD
COVER WILL BE PRESENT TO AGAIN KEEP MILD OVERNIGHT TEMPERATURES IN
PLACE.
SATURDAY THE ENERGY MOVING ACROSS THE STATE COMBINES WITH STEEP
LAPSE RATES IN THE BOUNDARY LAYER TO AGAIN BRING WINDY CONDITIONS
BUT NOT QUITE AS HIGH AS FRIDAY. DEEPER MOISTURE ARRIVES WITH THIS
ENERGY TO BRING A CHANCE OF MOUNTAIN SHOWERS BUT DOWNSLOPE ACROSS
THE PLAINS WILL LIMIT MUCH OF THE PRECIPITATION. EXCEPTION MAY BE
NORTHERN SECTIONS OF SOUTHEAST MONTANA WHERE THE DOWNSLOPE PATTERN
IS NOT AS STRONG. THE DISTURBANCE MOVES A BIT MORE SOUTHEASTWARD
AS IT CROSS EASTERN MONTANA SATURDAY NIGHT AND THIS BRINGS A
BETTER CHANCE FOR SHOWER ACTIVITY FOR AREAS NEAR THE NORTH DAKOTA
BORDER. TEMPERATURES WILL BE A BIT COOLER ON SATURDAY BUT STILL 10
TO 15 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL. BORSUM
.LONG TERM...VALID FOR SUN...MON...TUE...WED...THU...
A NORTHWESTERLY UPPER-LEVEL FLOW PATTERN WILL PERSIST THROUGH THE
BULK OF THE EXTENDED FORECAST PERIOD...WITH A FEW SHORTWAVES CROSSING
THE REGION. OVERALL NORTHWESTERLY FLOW SHOULD KEEP TEMPS A BIT
COOLER THAN WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN RECENTLY...BUT STILL AT OR ABOVE
CLIMATOLOGICAL NORMALS.
SUNDAY WILL BE MAINLY DRY UNDER UPPER-LEVEL RIDGING. THEN TWO
SHORTWAVES WILL SLIDE THROUGH THE NORTHWESTERLY FLOW EARLY MON
INTO TUE. SNOW SHOWERS COULD DEVELOP WEST OF BILLINGS AFTER
MIDNIGHT SUNDAY NIGHT...THEN CHANGE TO RAIN SHOWERS AND EXPAND
EASTWARD TO SOUTH-CENTRAL MT AND NORTH-CENTRAL WY FOR MON AND MON
NIGHT. FORCING APPEARS SOMEWHAT WEAK AT THIS TIME...ALTHOUGH LAPSE
RATES DO APPROACH 7 C/KM MON EVENING. THEREFORE THINK THAT JUST
LIGHT PRECIP AMOUNTS FROM SCATTERED RAIN/SNOW SHOWERS EXPECTED.
UPPER-LEVEL RIDGING IS THEN EXPECTED TO DOMINATE OUR WEATHER FOR
TUE THROUGH FRI. MODELS SHOW A FEW VERY WEAK WAVES CROSSING THE
REGION...BUT BECAUSE FORCING IS SO WEAK AND MODELS ARE NOT IN
AGREEMENT ON TIMING...HAVE KEPT PRECIP MENTION OUT OF THE FORECAST
FOR NOW.
THROUGHOUT THE EXTENDED...WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO BE LIGHTER THAN
WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN FOR MOST OF THE CWA. SOME PULSES OF STRONGER
WINDS ARE STILL POSSIBLE NEAR LIVINGSTON AT TIMES. RMS/BORSUM
&&
.AVIATION...
STRONG MID LEVEL WINDS WILL KEEP WEST WINDS GUSTING TO 50KT OVER
THE AREA UNTIL LATE THIS AFTERNOON. WHEN WINDS ARE NOT REACHING
THE SURFACE THEY WILL BE CAUSING LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR. WINDS WILL
DECREASE THIS EVENING BUT INCREASE AGAIN ON SATURDAY. BRIEF
MOUNTAIN OBSCURATIONS ARE POSSIBLE AS FAST MOVING SNOW SHOWERS
MOVE ACROSS THE REGION. BORSUM
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMP/POPS...
TDY SAT SUN MON TUE WED THU
-------------------------------------------------------
BIL 059 036/052 029/048 028/050 028/044 025/046 028/049
0/N 11/N 11/B 13/W 21/N 01/U 11/B
LVM 053 034/045 025/044 028/045 026/042 023/045 027/049
1/N 21/N 11/N 23/W 31/B 10/B 11/B
HDN 061 033/054 027/048 025/051 027/045 023/047 026/049
0/N 11/N 11/B 13/W 21/U 01/U 11/B
MLS 059 033/052 027/045 026/050 027/045 023/045 025/046
0/N 11/N 21/B 11/N 10/U 11/U 11/B
4BQ 059 032/053 028/045 023/050 026/044 023/045 025/047
0/N 11/N 11/B 11/B 11/U 01/U 11/B
BHK 055 029/048 025/040 023/048 024/041 021/042 021/041
0/N 11/N 31/E 11/B 11/N 11/U 11/B
SHR 058 029/050 024/045 021/048 026/042 021/045 023/048
0/N 00/N 11/B 13/W 31/B 11/U 11/B
&&
.BYZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MT...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON MST TODAY FOR ZONES
28>30-34-35-38>42-56-57-63.
HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR
ZONES 31>33-36-37-58.
WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR ZONES
65-66.
WY...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON MST TODAY FOR ZONE 99.
&&
WEATHER.GOV/BILLINGSIn the hours before
Local storm report, Feb 19, 6:35 AM MST, 5 hours 25 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BILLINGS MT
635 AM MST FRI FEB 19 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1204 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 1 NW BURGESS JUNCTION 44.79N 107.54W
02/19/2016 M58.00 MPH SHERIDAN WY MESONET
1207 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 12 SE EMIGRANT 45.27N 110.54W
02/19/2016 M58.00 MPH PARK MT MESONET
1215 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 12 W LIVINGSTON 45.67N 110.80W
02/19/2016 M60.00 MPH PARK MT DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
1218 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 17 S FORT SMITH 45.07N 107.89W
02/19/2016 M58.00 MPH BIG HORN MT MESONET
1229 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 22 E WARREN 45.10N 108.22W
02/19/2016 M62.00 MPH CARBON MT MESONET
0104 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 1 NW BURGESS JUNCTION 44.79N 107.54W
02/19/2016 M59.00 MPH SHERIDAN WY MESONET
0111 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 4 NNW COOKE CITY 45.07N 109.96W
02/19/2016 M58.00 MPH PARK MT MESONET
0115 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 12 W LIVINGSTON 45.67N 110.80W
02/19/2016 M60.00 MPH PARK MT DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
0119 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 2 SSW SHERIDAN 44.77N 106.97W
02/19/2016 M58.00 MPH SHERIDAN WY ASOS
0200 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 12 W LIVINGSTON 45.67N 110.80W
02/19/2016 M60.00 MPH PARK MT DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
0211 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 4 NNW COOKE CITY 45.07N 109.96W
02/19/2016 M58.00 MPH PARK MT MESONET
0353 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 6 ENE LIVINGSTON 45.70N 110.45W
02/19/2016 M59.00 MPH PARK MT ASOS
&&
DLBLocal storm report, Feb 19, 11:34 AM MST, 26 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BILLINGS MT
1134 AM MST FRI FEB 19 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1230 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 12 W LIVINGSTON 45.67N 110.80W
02/19/2016 M60.00 MPH PARK MT DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
0237 AM NON-TSTM WND DMG 1 W STORY 44.57N 106.90W
02/19/2016 SHERIDAN WY COCORAHS
GUSTY WINDS BEGAN 2230 MST AND CONTINUED THROUGH THE
NIGHT WITH GUSTS AS HIGH AS 70 MPH. TREE LIMBS FALLING
ALL NIGHT AND A VERY LARGE PINE TREE NEARBY SNAPPED OFF
AND FELL. ADDITIONALLY, NUMEROUS TREES FALLEN ALONG
COMMUTE THIS A.M.
0353 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 6 ENE LIVINGSTON 45.70N 110.45W
02/19/2016 M59.00 MPH PARK MT ASOS
0718 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 17 S FORT SMITH 45.07N 107.89W
02/19/2016 M58.00 MPH BIG HORN MT MESONET
0735 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 13 SSW GREYCLIFF 45.58N 109.85W
02/19/2016 M58.00 MPH SWEET GRASS MT MESONET
0845 AM NON-TSTM WND GST JUDITH GAP 46.69N 109.75W
02/19/2016 M58.00 MPH WHEATLAND MT DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
1104 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 1 NW BURGESS JUNCTION 44.79N 107.54W
02/19/2016 M62.00 MPH SHERIDAN WY MESONET
&&
VLSAvalanche, Northeast Bighorn Mountains
- When
- February 19, 12:00 PM MST
- Where
- Northeast Bighorn Mountains forecast zone
- Deaths
- 1 direct, 0 indirect
- Reported by
- Law Enforcement
A 39-year-old man from North Dakota was killed in an avalanche in the Big Horn National Forest. Deputies from the Sheridan County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to the Hunt Mountain Road area near U.S. Highway 14 West just after 12 pm. The man was snowmobiling when the avalanche occurred. According to the Sheridan County Coroner's Office, the avalanche knocked the man off his snowmobile and into a tree which resulted in the mans neck being fractured. The man was deceased when search and rescue arrived.
- Avalanche
- A mass of snow sliding down a mountainside that caused a death, an injury or damage.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
- High Wind in Michigan, February 19 to 20, 2016$31 million · 52 kt wind · 6 events
- High Wind in Wisconsin, February 19, 2016$555,000 · 55 kt wind · 10 events
- High Wind in Illinois, February 19, 20161 injured · $100,000 · 59 kt wind · 10 events
- Strong Wind in Oregon, February 19, 2016$150,000 · 1 event
- High Wind and Strong Wind in Illinois, February 19, 2016$33,000 · 52 kt wind · 19 events
- High Wind in South Dakota, February 19, 2016$25,000 · 66 kt wind · 24 events
- Strong Wind in Kentucky, February 19, 2016$22,000 · 22 events
- Strong Wind in Ohio, February 19, 2016$31,000 · 3 events
- High Wind in Iowa, February 19, 201653 kt wind · 23 events
- Wildfire in Texas, February 19, 2016$25,000 · 1 event
- High Wind in Iowa, February 19, 201655 kt wind · 13 events
- Strong Wind in Missouri, February 19, 2016$11,000 · 11 events
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: 613659.