A two to four feet deep, 200-foot-wide avalanche claimed the lives of two skiers while a third escaped injury by clinging to a tree. The slide occurred on Ralph's Slide in Rock Springs Canyon shortly before 1430MST.
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.
A two to four feet deep, 200-foot-wide avalanche claimed the lives of two skiers while a third escaped injury by clinging to a tree. The slide occurred on Ralph's Slide in Rock Springs Canyon shortly before 1430MST. The backcountry area is just outside the south boundary of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. Neither victim was wearing a transceiver making the search more difficult. Rescuers located the skiers within an hour of being notified, but both were pronounced dead at the scene.
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 24, 1:47 PM MST, 38 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY 147 PM MST SUN JAN 24 2016 .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY A LONG WAVE TROUGH AND ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT ARE MOVING THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...WITH STEADY SNOW ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE FRONT...WHICH SHOULD BE THROUGH CASPER BY SUNSET. COLD POOLING ALOFT BEHIND THE FRONT ALONG WITH UNSTABLE NORTHWEST FLOW WILL ENCOURAGE SOME SNOW SHOWER DEVELOPMENT INTO THE EVENING HOURS. CLEARING BEHIND THE FRONT IS FURTHER ENCOURAGING DESTABILIZATION AND SNOW SHOWERS ARE BEGINNING TO DEVELOP AROUND DUBOIS...ALONG THE ABSAROKAS AND WIND RIVERS AS OF 2PM THIS AFTERNOON. THIS IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE INTO THE EVENING WITH CHANCES FOR SNOW SHOWERS INCREASING INTO THE EVENING IN AREAS PRONE TO NORTHWEST FLOW SNOW SHOWERS. THERE ARE SOME HINTS AT A CONVERGENCE ZONE FROM SOUTH PASS TO WAMSUTTER TONIGHT...IN ADDITION TO THIS AREA ALREADY BEING FAVORED FOR SNOW BANDING IN UNSTABLE NORTHWEST FLOW...SO WENT AHEAD AND ISSUED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY THROUGH MONDAY MORNING FOR THIS AREA BUT COULD SEE CANCELLATION OF THIS ADVISORY BEFORE SUNRISE TOMORROW IF THE DEVELOPING SNOW BAND IS NOT ORGANIZED ENOUGH TO DELIVER A TRAVEL IMPACT. THERE IS ALSO AN ADVISORY FOR THE TETONS AND STAR VALLEY...AS WELL AS FOR WESTERN SWEETWATER COUNTY INCLUDING ROCK SPRINGS...THROUGH LATE THIS EVENING. WE ARE IN A BIT OF A LULL RIGHT NOW...BUT WILL SEE IF SNOW SHOWERS DEVELOP IN THESE AREAS BEFORE CANCELING...THE EXISTENCE OF THESE ADVISORIES INTO THE EVENING WILL BE DEPENDENT UPON SHOWER AND NORTHWEST WIND DEVELOPMENT AND IF THERE IS ENOUGH IMPACT FROM THESE ELEMENTS. MONDAY'S WEATHER WILL BE DRIVEN BY HOW QUICKLY THE SNOW AND LOW OVERCAST CLEAR OUT. THERE WILL STILL BE A CHILLY AIRMASS IN PLACE IN THE WAKE OF TODAY'S SYSTEM BUT THE CLOUD COVER AND LIGHT BREEZES WILL KEEP TEMPERATURES FROM DROPPING TOO MUCH...WITH TEMPERATURES EXPECTED TO BE IN THE 20S IN MOST AREAS. .LONG TERM...MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY BUILDING HEIGHTS AND WARMING MID LEVEL TEMPS WILL BE IN STORE MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT WITH STEEPENING BASIN/VALLEY INVERSIONS. POTENTIAL FOR FOG TO RETURN AGAIN IN THIS PATTERN. NOT A TOTALLY CLEAR CUT FOG PATTERN WITH POTENTIAL FOR A LITTLE MOISTURE IN THE MID LEVELS AND A LITTLE WIND AROUND THE EDGES. ADDED JUST PATCHY FOG TO BEGIN IN THE NRN WIND RIVER BASIN EARLY TUESDAY AND THEN TO MOST OF THE NORMAL SUSPECT AREAS TUESDAY NIGHT AND WED WITH AREAS OF FOG CONFINED TO JUST THE WIND RIVER BASIN WITH SOME FRESH SNOW...LIGHT WINDS AND STEEPENING INVERSIONS. OTHERWISE...FOR ALL PRACTICE PURPOSES IT LOOKS DRY WITH WARMING TEMPS IN THE MTNS AND WIND CORRIDOR THROUGH THURSDAY AT LEAST. FLOW STARTS TO FLATTEN THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY AHEAD OF OUR NEXT STORM SYSTEM. INCREASING SFC PRESSURE GRADIENT...JUST MOVING IN FROM THE WEST AND INCREASING THERMAL GRADIENT WILL LIKELY ADD UP TO SOME STRONG WINDS ACROSS THE CODY FOOTHILLS ON FRIDAY. WINDS SHOULD ALSO INCREASE ACROSS THE WIND CORRIDOR FRIDAY INTO FRIDAY NIGHT. LONGWAVE RIDGE THAT DEVELOPS EARLY IN THE PERIOD ACROSS THE WESTERN U.S. IS FORECAST TO WEAKEN LATE IN THE WEEK SETTING THE STAGE FOR A POTENTIAL SIGNIFICANT STORM OUT WEST DEVELOPING FRIDAY AND CONTINUING INTO SATURDAY. STRONG PACIFIC JET MOVES IN COMBINED WITH IMPRESSIVE UPGLIDE POTENTIAL. MODELS STRUGGLING ON DETAILS AND TIMING BUT ALL GENERALLY AGREE ON A POTENTIAL SIGNIFICANT STORM IN THE FRI/SAT TIMEFRAME. WHAT HAPPENS AT THE END OF THE MEDIUM RANGE PERIOD IS MORE OF A CHALLENGE. THE ECMWF IS SHOWING A MORE CONSOLIDATED UPPER LOW FORMING OVER UT ON SUNDAY AND THEN DIGGING INTO CO MONDAY. THE GFS SPLITS THIS TROUGH MORE AS IT ENCOUNTERS THE LONGER WAVE RIDGING BUT STILL HAS MORE ENERGY DIVING WELL SOUTH. NOT MAKING BIG CHANGES AS WE ALREADY HAVE A CHANCE OF SNOW IN THE WEST WITH SLGHT CHANCES IN THE SOUTH AND NORTH. THE NEXT CREW CAN LOOK AT THIS AGAIN TONIGHT. WE SHOULD SEE QUITE A BIT OF WARMING AGAIN THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY WITH THE MIXED AREAS ENJOYING SOME 40S AND MAYBE EVEN A FEW LOWER 50S WHILE THE BASINS STRUGGLE INTO THE 30S. && .AVIATION.../00Z ISSUANCE/ WEST OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE...KBPI/KJAC/KPNA/KRKS SNOW SHOWERS IN THE MOUNTAINS THROUGH TONIGHT WITH MVFR TO IFR CONDITIONS AND FREQUENT MOUNTAIN OBSCURATION. TERMINAL SITES WILL SEE SOME SNOW AT TIMES WITH MVFR TO IFR CONDITIONS POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY THROUGH MIDNIGHT. VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL FOR THE MOST PART THROUGH THE PERIOD OUTSIDE OF SNOW BANDS. MADE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO KRKS GIVEN THE EASTWARD SHIFT OF THE MAIN AREA OF SNOW WITH NOT MUCH BACKBUILDING YET. SNOW CLEARING EXPECTED ON MONDAY. PLEASE SEE THE TERMINAL FORECASTS FOR MORE DETAILS. EAST OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE...KCOD/KCPR/KLND/KRIW/KWRL PERIODS OF SNOW THROUGH 09Z MONDAY WITH MVFR/IFR CONDITIONS AT TIMES...EXPECT THE SNOW TO BE DRIVEN MORE AND MORE BY UNSTABLE CONDITIONS AND BANDING...WITH A BETTER CHANCE OF IFR CONDITIONS NEAR MOUNTAINS AND BETWEEN KRIW AND KCPR. MOUNTAINS WILL BE FREQUENTLY OBSCURED TONIGHT. SLOW CLEARING EXPECTED ON MONDAY. PLEASE SEE THE TERMINAL FORECASTS FOR MORE DETAILS. && .FIRE WEATHER... WINDS WILL INCREASE ACROSS THE AREA LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...ESPECIALLY FROM THE RED DESERT TO KCPR WITH INCREASED MIXING HEIGHTS ALSO ANTICIPATED THROUGH THE EVENING. OTHERWISE...DECREASING WIND...ESPECIALLY DEEP INTO THE BASINS... AND WARMING ALOFT WILL ENCOURAGE STRONG BASIN AND VALLEY INVERSIONS MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. && .RIW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 11 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR WYZ012- 023. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL NOON MST MONDAY FOR WYZ014-015-030. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL MIDNIGHT MST TONIGHT FOR WYZ028- 029. && SHORT TERM...ALLEN LONG TERM...SKRBAC AVIATION...ALLEN FIRE WEATHER...ALLEN
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY 926 AM MST SUN JAN 24 2016 WYZ001>020-022>030-251630- YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK-ABSAROKA MOUNTAINS-CODY FOOTHILLS- NORTH BIG HORN BASIN-SOUTHWEST BIG HORN BASIN- SOUTHEAST BIG HORN BASIN-OWL CREEK AND BRIDGER MOUNTAINS- BIGHORN MOUNTAINS WEST-BIGHORN MOUNTAINS SOUTHEAST- NORTHEAST JOHNSON COUNTY-SOUTHEAST JOHNSON COUNTY- TETON AND GROS VENTRE MOUNTAINS-JACKSON HOLE- WIND RIVER MOUNTAINS WEST-WIND RIVER MOUNTAINS EAST- UPPER WIND RIVER BASIN-WIND RIVER BASIN-LANDER FOOTHILLS- GREEN MOUNTAINS AND RATTLESNAKE RANGE- NATRONA COUNTY LOWER ELEVATIONS-CASPER MOUNTAIN-STAR VALLEY- SALT RIVER AND WYOMING RANGES-UPPER GREEN RIVER BASIN FOOTHILLS- UPPER GREEN RIVER BASIN-SOUTH LINCOLN COUNTY- ROCK SPRINGS AND GREEN RIVER-FLAMING GORGE-EAST SWEETWATER COUNTY- 926 AM MST SUN JAN 24 2016 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES ISSUED FOR PORTIONS OF WESTERN AND CENTRAL WYOMING THROUGH THIS EVENING...THROUGH MONDAY MORNING FOR SOUTH PASS AND EASTERN SWEETWATER COUNTY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WESTERN AND CENTRAL WYOMING. .DAY ONE...REST OF TODAY AND TONIGHT PERIODS OF SNOW WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE WEST INTO THIS EVENING. SNOW SHOWERS AND POSSIBLE SNOW BANDS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP EAST OF THE DIVIDE INTO THIS EVENING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY MONDAY MORNING...SNOW BANDS WILL PERSIST ACROSS PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN WYOMING...WITH HIGHEST IMPACT ALONG SOUTH PASS INTO EASTERN SWEETWATER COUNTY. THURSDAY AND FRIDAY...VERY STRONG WINDS POSSIBLE OVER THE CODY FOOTHILLS...WITH WINDY CONDITIONS IN THE ROCK SPRINGS TO CASPER WIND CORRIDOR. FRIDAY AND SATURDAY...SIGNIFICANT SNOW POSSIBLE OVER THE WEST...ESPECIALLY IN THE MOUNTAINS. WINDY CONDITIONS PERSIST OVER THE SOUTH AND EAST. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY SNOWFALL AND ANY WIND GREATER THAN 45 MPH. THANK YOU.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 avalanche. Local standard time, as filed.
Two skiers were killed by an avalanche on Ralph's Slide.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avalanche, Teton & Gros Ventre Mountains | 2016-01-24 | 46 | Male | Outside/Open Areas | Direct |
| Avalanche, Teton & Gros Ventre Mountains | 2016-01-24 | 36 | Female | Outside/Open Areas | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Wyoming in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in Wyoming, January 2016
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: 608730.