A plume of Pacific moisture combined with a strong upper-level disturbance and associated cold front to bring heavy snow to western Wyoming with high wind to the east of the Continental Divide. The heaviest snow fell across the western mountains with over two feet of new snow reported in the higher elevations of the Teton Range.
Every event with a place to put it; 9 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 plume of Pacific moisture combined with a strong upper-level disturbance and associated cold front to bring heavy snow to western Wyoming with high wind to the east of the Continental Divide. The heaviest snow fell across the western mountains with over two feet of new snow reported in the higher elevations of the Teton Range. Valley totals generally ranged from 6 to as much as 12 inches. Meanwhile, an increasing pressure gradient and favorable conditions for mountain wave-generated winds produced high winds in Natrona County and around Clark. A wind sensor west of Clark peaked at 95 mph during the mountain wave, while an anemometer on the south side of Casper gusted to 72 mph.
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 28, 3:17 PM MST, 1 hour 13 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY 317 PM MST THU JAN 28 2016 .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY A MORE ACTIVE PATTERN WITH WIND AND SNOW LOOKS TO BEGIN TONIGHT...AND CONTINUE INTO FRIDAY. CURRENTLY UPPER LEVEL RIDGE IS STARTING TO BREAK DOWN ACROSS THE REGION. THIS HAS INCREASED WINDS ACROSS THE CODY FOOTHILLS AND THE WIND CORRIDOR FROM ROCK SPRINGS TO CASPER. EXPECT WINDS TO ONLY STRENGTHEN ACROSS THESE AREAS TONIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING. THE HIGH WIND WARNING WAS CONTINUED ACROSS THE CODY FOOTHILLS DURING THIS TIME PERIOD AS GUSTS OVER 60 MPH LOOK LIKELY...ESPECIALLY SINCE CURRENT GUSTS NEAR CLARK ARE OVER 40 MPH. 700 MB WINDS...AND JET DYNAMICS...JUST WERE NOT PRESENT IN THE MORNING MODEL RUNS TO UPGRADE THE HIGH WIND WATCH TO A HIGH WIND WARNING ACROSS THE WIND CORRIDOR FROM JEFFREY CITY TO CASPER. THIS AREA WILL LIKELY BECOME WINDY TONIGHT...HOWEVER WIDESPREAD GUSTS OF OVER 60 DO NOT LOOK LIKELY...BUT A FEW ISOLATED GUSTS OVER 60 MPH ALONG OUTER DRIVE IN CASPER ARE POSSIBLE. MEANWHILE ACROSS THE WEST...LOW CLOUDS IN THE JACKSON HOLE VALLEY HAVE FINALLY CLEARED OUT WITH AN INCREASE IN WESTERLY FLOW. THESE CLOUDS COULD RETURN THIS EVENING AHEAD OF SNOW. SPEAKING OF SNOW...THE FIRST IN A SERIES OF DISTURBANCES WILL LIKELY RETURN SNOW TO THE WEST TONIGHT. TIMING STILL LOOKS CONSISTENT TO BRING SNOW ONCE MOIST WESTERLY FLOW...COMBINED WITH A COLD FRONT...TAKES AIM AT WYOMING SHORTLY BEFORE MIDNIGHT TO THE WESTERN MOUNTAINS...WITH SNOW FILLING INTO THE WESTERN VALLEYS DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOW RATES WILL BE POSSIBLE AT TIMES...ESPECIALLY IN THE MIDNIGHT TO 8 AM TIME FRAME. THE MENTIONED FRONTAL BOUNDARY LOOKS TO BRING LITTLE IMPACT TO THE EAST...EXCEPT ACROSS THE BIGHORN MOUNTAINS...JOHNSON COUNTY...AND PERHAPS EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE BIGHORN BASIN. HERE SNOW...PERHAPS MIXED WITH RAIN FRIDAY MORNING IN THE LOWER ELEVATIONS...WILL BE POSSIBLE EARLY FRIDAY MORNING...ENDING LATE FRIDAY MORNING. SOME DISCUSSION WAS GIVEN TO A SMALL POTENTIAL FOR FREEZING RAIN IN JOHNSON COUNTY FRIDAY MORNING. FORECAST SOUNDINGS ARE SHOWING A FAIRLY SATURATED COLUMN ONCE PRECIPITATION BEGINS TO THE EAST OF BUFFALO. SOME WARM AIR JUST ABOVE THE SURFACE IS IN PLACE AT THE START OF THIS PRECIP...HOWEVER...A SOLID FREEZING LAYER RIGHT AT THE SURFACE IS LACKING. CURRENT THINKING IS PERHAPS A MIX OF WINTRY PRECIPITATION OR EVEN A RAIN SNOW MIX MIGHT BE POSSIBLE BEFORE THE COLD FRONT CHANGES EVERYTHING TO SNOW...WITH BETTER FREEZING RAIN CHANCES IN NE WYOMING...OUTSIDE OF OUR CWA. RAIN AND SNOW MIX MAY ALSO RETURN TO EASTERN JOHNSON COUNTY AS PRECIP ENDS MID FRIDAY MORNING. BRIEF RIDGING...WITH A PROTUBERANCE OF DRY AIR...WILL OCCUR LATE FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON...WHICH COULD BRING A BRIEF LULL IN THE SNOW OUT WEST. LOWERED POPS AND QPF SLIGHTLY DURING THIS TIME PERIOD TO TRY AND REPRESENT THE LULL. SNOW THEN LOOKS TO INCREASE IN INTENSITY AND COVERAGE LATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON...THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT. SEE THE LONG TERM DISCUSSION FOR MORE DETAILS. .LONG TERM...FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY BEGINNING OF FCST...MODEST RIDGE ACROSS THE WRN CONUS BREAKING DOWN TO MUCH FLATTER FLOW ALOFT AS A SW TROF MOVES THRU THE FLOW OUT OF THE PAC NW. AT THE SFC...EXPECT GENERAL HIGH P ACROSS THE GREAT BASIN AND INTERMOUNTAIN WEST WITH A DEVELOPING LOW P TROF E OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE. WITH THE TRANSITION TO NEAR ZONAL FLOW ALOFT...THE GATES TO EPAC PAC MOISTURE WILL OPEN UP BEGINNING FRI NIGHT...WITH THE WRN MOUNTAINS BECOMING THE PRIMARY TARGET THRU THE DAY SATURDAY. A VARIETY OF WINTER STORM WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES HAVE BEEN ISSUED FOR WESTERN AND SOUTHERN WYOMING. FROM FRIDAY NIGHT THRU SATURDAY...EXPECT 12 TO 24 INCHES OF SNOW IN THE TETONS...GROS VENTRE...SALT AND WYOMING MOUNTAINS. THE WESTERN VALLEYS WILL SEE FROM 4 TO 10 INCHES OF SNOW OVER THE SAME TIME FRAME WHILE SOUTHERN LINCOLN WILL GET FROM 2 TO 10 INCHES OF NEW SNOW FROM EAST TO WEST. SOUTHWEST TO WEST WINDS WILL ALSO MIX WITH THE SNOW AT TIMES TO LIMIT VISIBILITY AND CAUSE SOME BLOWING AND DRIFTING OF SNOW. ADDITIONALLY...THE STRONG ZONAL FLOW ACROSS THE ROCKIES WILL EVENTUALLY INDUCE LEE SIDE CYCLOGENESIS ACROSS NERN/ERN CO BEGINNING SATURDAY. ERLY/NERLY LL FLOW AROUND THIS LOW WILL REINFORCE MOISTURE CONVERGENCE AT LEAST FOR A PERIOD SAT AFTERNOON AND EVENING...WITH INCREASING PRECIP CHCS E OF THE DIVIDE AND ACROSS THE SRN FA...INCLUDING BOTH THE I80 AND I25 CORRIDORS. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW ACROSS SWEETWATER COUNTY...INCLUDING THE I 80 CORRIDOR...WITH MARGINAL ADVISORY SNOW AMOUNTS MIXING WITH GUSTY WINDS TO CAUSE HAZARDOUS TRAVEL. ATTM...THE I 25 CORRIDOR LOOKS TO REMAIN SUB ADVISORY THRU SAT EVENING...BUT WILL STILL SEE SOME IMPACT FROM THIS STORM IN THE FORM OF 1 TO 3 INCHES OF SNOWFALL MIXING WITH GUSTY NORTH WIND AT TIMES. THEN...A LULL IN THE ACTION IS EXPECTED LATE SATURDAY TO MONDAY MORNING...BEFORE NEW LEE SIDE SOUTHERN FRONT RANGE CYCLOGENESIS BEGINS DUE TO AN UPR ALBUQUERQUE LOW THAT WILL KICK EWD LATER MONDAY AFTERNOON/EVENING. INCREASING CHANCES FOR PRECIPITATION AND A POSSIBLE NEW CROP OF HIGHLIGHTS WILL EMERGE ACROSS PORTIONS OF AT LEAST THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE CWA. GREATEST SNOWFALL POTENTIAL LOOKS TO ARRIVE MONDAY NIGHT...LASTING THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING BEFORE THE MAIN TROF AXIS FINALLY PASSES BY...WITH COLD AIR AND LIGHT SNOW/FLURRIES LINGERING ACROSS THE FA THROUGH AT LEAST WEDNESDAY. RIDGING FOLLOWS FOR THE NEXT DAY OR SO WITH COLD BUT IMPROVING CONDITIONS THROUGH THE END OF THE FCST. && .AVIATION.../00Z ISSUANCE/ WEST OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE...KBPI/KJAC/KPNA/KRKS LOW CLOUDS HAVE BRIEFLY DIMINISHED LATE THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS THE JACKSON HOLE VALLEY. AN INCREASE IN LOW CLOUDS COULD RETURN MVFR CONDITIONS LATER THIS EVENING ACROSS THE FAR WEST AS AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE APPROACHES. SNOW WILL THEN DEVELOP AFTER 03Z TONIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING...BRINGING MVFR AND POSSIBLY IFR CONDITIONS AFTER 06Z...ALONG WITH MOUNTAIN OBSCURATION...TO WESTERN WYOMING TERMINALS...ESPECIALLY KJAC. A LULL IN THE SNOW WILL BE FOUND LATE FRIDAY MORNING INTO FRIDAY AFTERNOON...PERHAPS CREATING MVFR TO BRIEF VFR CONDITIONS. THE NEXT ROUND OF SNOW WILL RETURN LATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING...RETURNING MVFR AND IFR CONDITIONS. VFR CONDITIONS...ALONG WITH SOME BREEZY WINDS...ARE EXPECTED ACROSS SOUTHERN AND SOUTHWESTERN WYOMING THROUGH 06Z FRI. CLOUDS WILL INCREASE IN SW WY AFTER 06Z WITH ISOLATED RAIN OR SNOW SHOWERS DEVELOPING...ALONG WITH SNOW IN THE MOUNTAINS. LOCAL MVFR CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE BY 12Z FRI...POSSIBLY CONTINUING THROUGH THE REST OF FRIDAY MORNING. BRIEF VFR CONDITIONS ARE THEN POSSIBLE EARLY FRIDAY AFTERNOON...BEFORE THE NEXT ROUND OF SNOW PUSHES INTO THE SOUTH LATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING. EAST OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE...KCOD/KCPR/KLND/KRIW/KWRL VFR CONDITIONS TO GENERALLY PREVAIL THROUGH 00Z FRI. WINDY CONDITIONS IN WIND CORRIDOR OF SOUTH CENTRAL WY INCLUDING KCPR...WITH 20-30 KNOTS AND GUSTS TO 40 KNOTS. GUSTY WINDS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE ALONG THE CODY FOOTHILLS THROUGH MUCH OF THE PERIOD...IMPACTING KCOD AT TIMES. AREAS OF WIND SHEAR AROUND 2000 FT AGL COULD ALSO DEVELOP AFTER 09Z MAINLY FROM KCOD TO KRIW AND KLND. MOUNTAIN WAVE ACTIVITY WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE IN THE CODY AREA. NO PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED ACROSS TAF SITES...HOWEVER...SNOW WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE BIGHORN MOUNTAINS AND TERMINALS IN JOHNSON COUNTY...ESPECIALLY NEAR KBYG FRIDAY MORNING. && .FIRE WEATHER... GUSTY WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP ACROSS THE WIND CORRIDOR FROM KRKS TO KCPR TONIGHT WITH GUSTY WINDS ALSO DEVELOPING IN THE LEE OF THE ABSAROKAS TONIGHT. STRONG WINDS ARE LIKELY TONIGHT FOR THE ABSAROKA MOUNTAINS...CODY FOOTHILLS...WITH GUSTS OVER 60 MPH EXPECTED TO BE COMMON. THE WIND CORRIDOR FROM ROCK SPRINGS TO CASPER COULD ALSO SEE GUSTY WINDS TONIGHT...WITH OVER 50 MPH GUSTS POSSIBLE. SNOW LOOKS TO RETURN ACROSS THE WEST LATER TONIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING. A QUICK BURST OF SNOW WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE BIGHORN MOUNTAINS AND JOHNSON COUNTY FRIDAY MORNING. A BRIEF LULL IN THE SNOW IS EXPECTED EARLY FRIDAY AFTERNOON...THEN MORE SNOW...MODERATE TO HEAVY AT TIMES...IS EXPECTED ACROSS THE WEST AND SOUTH LATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON INTO SATURDAY. && .RIW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 2 PM FRIDAY TO 5 PM MST SATURDAY FOR WYZ012-013-023-024-027. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 5 PM FRIDAY TO 5 PM MST SATURDAY FOR WYZ028>030. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 2 PM FRIDAY TO 5 PM MST SATURDAY FOR WYZ001-014-025. HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 6 AM MST FRIDAY FOR WYZ003. && SHORT TERM...ANGLIN LONG TERM...BRAUN AVIATION...ANGLIN FIRE WEATHER...ANGLIN
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY 218 PM MST THU JAN 28 2016 WYZ001>020-022>030-292130- 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- 218 PM MST THU JAN 28 2016 ...HIGH WIND WARNING FOR THE CODY FOOTHILLS THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TONIGHT... ...WINTER STORM WARNING FROM LATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SATURDAY FOR THE MOUNTAINS AND VALLEYS OF WESTERN WYOMING...INCLUDING SOUTHERN LINCOLN COUNTY... ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR YELLOWSSTONE NATIONAL PARK...THE WESTERN WIND RIVER MOUNTAINS AND GREEN RIVER FOOTHILLS...AND SWEETWATER COUNTY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WESTERN AND CENTRAL WYOMING. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT HIGH WINDS ARE LIKELY IN THE CODY FOOTHILLS LATER THIS AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT. GUSTY WINDS POSSIBLE TONIGHT FROM THE RED DESERT TO CASPER. SNOW IS LIKELY IN THE WESTERN MOUNTAINS LATER TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY FRIDAY AFTERNOON INTO FRIDAY NIGHT...GUSTY WINDS POSSIBLE FROM ROCK SPRINGS TO CASPER. FRIDAY AND SATURDAY...SIGNIFICANT SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW LIKELY OVER THE WESTERN MOUNTAINS AND VALLEYS WITH THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL EXPECTED FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING. SNOW AND GUSTY WINDS WILL CAUSE SLICK ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITY...ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN WYOMING...INCLUDING THE INTERSTATE 80 CORRIDOR EARLY SATURDAY AND LASTING UNTIL SATURDAY EVENING. LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOW WILL MOVE EAST OF THE DIVIDE ON SATURDAY WITH AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW POSSIBLE SATURDAY AFTERNOON. SUNDAY AND MONDAY...A STORM SYSTEM MOVING ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST U.S. MAY BRING SNOW...SLICK ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITY...ACROSS MAINLY SOUTHERN WYOMING INCLUDING THE INTERSTATE 80 CORRIDOR ON SUNDAY...WITH AREAS OF LIGHT SNOW DEVELOPING ACROSS FREMONT AND NATRONA COUNTIES ON SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE URGED TO REPORT WIND GUSTS OVER 50 MPH AND SNOWFALL AMOUNTS. THANK YOU.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY 207 PM MST THU JAN 28 2016 WYZ019-020-291100- GREEN MOUNTAINS AND RATTLESNAKE RANGE- NATRONA COUNTY LOWER ELEVATIONS- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...JEFFREY CITY...CASPER 207 PM MST THU JAN 28 2016 ...GUSTY WINDS POSSIBLE ACROSS THE WIND CORRIDOR FROM JEFFREY CITY TO CASPER TONIGHT... INCREASED WESTERLY FLOW AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT WILL BRING GUSTY WINDS TO THE WIND CORRIDOR FROM JEFFREY CITY TO CASPER TONIGHT INTO EARLY FRIDAY MORNING. SUSTAINED WINDS OF 30 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 50 TO 55 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE. A FEW ISOLATED AREAS COULD SEE GUSTS NEAR 60 MPH AT TIMES...ESPECIALLY IN THE OUTER DRIVE AREA ON THE SOUTH END OF CASPER. THOSE WITH HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES OR TRAILERS WITH LIGHT LOADS SHOULD USE EXTREME CAUTION TRAVELING IN THESE AREAS TONIGHT. WYZ002-015-291100- ABSAROKA MOUNTAINS-WIND RIVER MOUNTAINS EAST- 207 PM MST THU JAN 28 2016 ...SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW TO RETURN TO THE ABSAROKA AND EASTERN WIND RIVER MOUNTAINS FRIDAY THROUGH THE DAY SATURDAY... WINDS OF 15 TO 25 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS WILL MIX WITH LIGHT TO OCCASIONALLY MODERATE SNOWFALL OVERNIGHT TONIGHT AND AGAIN FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING. SNOWFALL TOTALS OF 2 TO 6 INCHES WILL BE COMMON...WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE NEAR THE WESTERN BORDERS. WYZ026-291100- UPPER GREEN RIVER BASIN- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...LA BARGE...BIG PINEY...FARSON 207 PM MST THU JAN 28 2016 ...SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW TO RETURN TO THE UPPER GREEN RIVER BASIN FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH THE DAY SATURDAY... WINDS OF 15 TO 25 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS WILL MIX WITH LIGHT TO OCCASIONALLY MODERATE SNOWFALL FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY AFTERNOON. SNOWFALL TOTALS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES WILL BE COMMON...WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE NEAR THE FOOTHILLS.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
5 winter storm, 4 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
High winds were recorded in the vicinity of Clark. Some of the gusts included 69 mph 5 miles west-northwest of Clark and 63 mph 8 miles south of Clark on State Highway 120.
Very heavy snow fell across the Tetons. Some of the higher amounts included 26 inches at Rendezvous Bowl at Jackson Hole and 23 inches at the Grand Targhee SNOTEL site.
Heavy snow fell across much of the Jackson Valley. Amounts ranged from 3.5 inches in the town of Jackson to 12 inches at Moose.
High winds blew across portions of the Green and Rattlesnake Ranges. Some of the highest gusts included 71 mph at Fales Rock and 65 mph at Camp Creek.
A report of 9 inches of snow was received from the community of Sage.
Heavy snow fell across the Salt River and Wyoming mountains. Some of the highest amounts included 18 inches at the Willow Creek SNOTEL and 17 inches at the Spring Creek Divide SNOTEL.
Heavy snow fell in portions of the Star Valley. Amounts ranged from 11 inches southeast of Smoot to 2 to 4 inches near Afton where the snow mixed with rain at times.
The anemometer along Wyoming Boulevard near McKinley Street gusted past 60 mph for several hours with a peak of 72 mph.
The wind sensor 5 miles WNW of Clark recorded several wind gusts over 58 mph, with a peak gust of 95 mph during the afternoon.
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: 614527, 610054, 610056, 610060, 610058, 610055, 610057, 610062, 610063.