After a long stretch of mild and mainly dry weather, a Pacific storm with copious amounts of moisture combined with favorable jet dynamics to bring heavy snow to the western mountains. The heaviest amounts fell in the Teton Range where snow totals of 12 to 18 inches fell in about 24 hours at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.
Every event with a place to put it; 5 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.
After a long stretch of mild and mainly dry weather, a Pacific storm with copious amounts of moisture combined with favorable jet dynamics to bring heavy snow to the western mountains. The heaviest amounts fell in the Teton Range where snow totals of 12 to 18 inches fell in about 24 hours at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. Over a foot of snow also fell in portions of the Salt River and Wyoming ranges to the south, and in Yellowstone National Park to the north. Valley locations also received heavy snow of up to 8 inches. Meanwhile, wind gusts over 70 mph were recorded for about 90 minutes late in the evening of March 13 on the east side of the Absaroka Range. A mesonet station west of Clark clocked a peak gust of 90 mph at 2137MST.
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 13, 2:50 AM MST, 4 hours 10 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY 350 AM MDT SUN MAR 13 2016 .SHORT TERM...SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT QUITE AN ACTIVE PATTERN WILL BE MOVING IN FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS. AND AT THE END OF THE PERIOD A RETURN TO MORE WINTERLIKE TEMPERATURES THAT WILL CERTAINLY BE A SLAP IN THE FACE TO MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE ENJOYED THE MILD WEATHER OVER THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS. AND WITH THE DIFFERENCES IN THE WEATHER...WE WILL DIVIDE THE DISCUSSION INTO WEST AND EAST OF THE DIVIDE. WEST OF THE DIVIDE...ALL IS QUIET RIGHT NOW THOUGH AS RADAR SHOWS THE PRECIPITATION OVER IDAHO RIGHT NOW. WE DID LOWER POPS EARLY IN THE MORNING TO ACCOUNT FOR THE SLOWER ARRIVAL. BUT HERE IS THE MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION OF THE DAY...THE DETAILS OF THE BEST STORM WE HAVE SEEN IN A FEW WEEKS. AS FOR TODAY...WE WENT AHEAD AND UPGRADED THE WATCHES TO WARNINGS FOR YELLOWSTONE...THE TETONS AND THE WESTERN WIND RIVER RANGE SINCE IT LOOKS TO BE A FAIRLY GOOD BET OF WARNING CRITERIA SNOW HERE. HOWEVER...WE DID POSTPONE THE START OF THE OF THE WARNING UNTIL 11 AM FOR THE WIND RIVER RANGE WITH THE LATER ARRIVAL OF THE SNOW. MEANWHILE...THE WATCHES FOR THE OTHER LOCATIONS WE WILL LET RIDE. THERE IS STILL SOME QUESTION WHETHER THERE WILL BE ENOUGH SNOW TO WARRANT A WARNING IN SALT AND WYOMING RANGE. IN THE VALLEYS...EXPECT A MIX OF RAIN AND SNOW THROUGH THE DAY BEFORE THE FRONTAL PASSAGE AND 700 MILLIBAR TEMPERATURES CRASH. THE MODELS ARE SPLIT ON QPF THROUGH AROUND 10 PM TONIGHT...WITH THE GFS WETTER AND THE NAM A BIT DRIER. ALL THE MODELS DO ZERO ON THE HEAVIEST SNOW FROM LATE TONIGHT INTO TOMORROW MORNING. SUNDAY NIGHT LOOKS TO HAVE THE WORST CONDITIONS WHEN THE COMBINATION OF THE FRONT AND TROUGH PASSAGE ALONG WITH UPPER LEVEL DIVERGENCE AND FAVORABLE JET DYNAMICS BRING THE HEAVIEST SNOW. EXPECT GUSTY WINDS AS WELL THAT WILL BRING BLOWING AND DRIFTING OF THE SNOW. AS FOR THE REST OF THE AREA...THERE COULD BE SOME ADVISORY LEVEL SNOW BUT SINCE TEMPERATURES SHOULD REMAIN FAIRLY WARM FURTHER EAST WE WILL PUNT THE DECISION OF POSSIBLE ADVISORIES TO THE DAY SHIFT. THE HEAVIEST SNOW SHOULD TAPER OFF MONDAY AFTERNOON WITH A BREAK LATE MONDAY AFTERNOON INTO MONDAY NIGHT WITH A BREAK BETWEEN SHORTWAVES. ANOTHER WAVE WILL APPROACH ON TUESDAY WITH ANOTHER SHOT OF SNOW ALTHOUGH THIS ONE DOES NOT HAVE AS MUCH MOISTURE OR FORCING WITH IT SO AMOUNTS OF SNOW SHOULD BE LIGHTER. EAST OF THE DIVIDE...EXPECT ONE MORE MAINLY DRY AND MILD DAY TODAY ALTHOUGH IT WILL BE A BIT COOLER THAN THE PREVIOUS COUPLE. IT WILL BE RATHER BREEZY AS WELL AND EVEN WINDY AT TIMES IN THE FAVORED SPOTS LIKE THE SOUTHWESTERN WIND CORRIDOR WITH THE TIGHTENING PRESSURE GRADIENT. THE DOWNSLOPING WIND SHOULD KEEP THINGS DRY...ALTHOUGH THERE COULD BE A COUPLE OF STRAY SHOWERS IN THE BIG HORN RANGE. DRY WEATHER SHOULD HOLD THROUGH TONIGHT AS WELL. WITH THE COOLER TEMPERATURES...FIRE CONCERNS SHOULD EASE A BIT ALTHOUGH ANY FIRE COULD SPREAD QUICKLY GIVEN THE DRY FUELS AND GUSTY WINDS. THE FRONT WILL SWING THROUGH THE AREA ON MONDAY AND BRING A CHANGE TO THE WARM WEATHER PATTERN WE HAVE BEEN ENJOYING. DOWNSLOPING WILL CONTINUE TO KEEP THINGS LARGELY DRY...BUT THE ADDITIONAL FORCING OF THE FRONT MAY BE ENOUGH TO TOUCH OFF SOME SHOWERS. THERE COULD EVEN BE A LIGHTNING STRIKE OR TWO BUT NOT ENOUGH TO BUT IN THE GRIDS YET. DURING THE DAY ON MONDAY...MOST EVERYTHING SHOULD STAY AS RAIN OR WET SNOW. ANOTHER CONCERN COULD BE WIND WITH 700 MILLIBAR WINDS RISING TO 50 KNOTS AND THE FRONT PROVIDING AMPLE MIXING THAT COULD RAISE THE POSSIBILITY FOR HIGH WIND HIGHLIGHTS FOR MONDAY...ESPECIALLY IN THE AFTERNOON. THE CHANCE OF SHOWERS SHOULD LINGER INTO MONDAY NIGHT AS UNSTABLE NORTHWEST FLOW CONTINUES BEHIND THE FRONT. TUESDAY WILL LIKELY BE A MUCH COOLER AND UNSETTLED DAY WITH THE UNSTABLE NORTHWEST FLOW CONTINUING. THIS MEANS THERE WILL BE SOME SHOWERS AROUND...MANY IN THE FORM OF SNOW. THIS FAR OUT...IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PINPOINT THEM. CONTINUITY LOOKED LIKE IT HAD AS GOOD AN IDEA AS ANYTHING SO WE LEFT CONTINUITY ALONE FOR THE MOST PART. .LONG TERM...WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY THE WEATHER PATTERN FOR WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY WILL FEATURE A TROUGH OVER THE AREA WITH A FEW WEATHER SYSTEMS MOVING THROUGH THE FLOW. COLD AIR OVER THE AREA THESE DAYS AND TONIGHT THE MODELS ARE A BIT COLDER AT 700MB THAN PREVIOUS NIGHTS. PERIODIC CHANCES OF SNOW WED THROUGH FRI WILL BE THE FORECAST AS TIMING THE SYSTEMS THIS FAR OUT IS THE MAIN CHALLENGE. SOME PLACES AT THE LOWER ELEVATIONS COULD SEE A DECENT SNOW AT TIMES. WILL HAVE TO WATCH HOW THIS PATTERN EVOLVES AND ADJUST FORECAST ACCORDINGLY. HIGH TEMPS IN THE 30S TO LOWER 40S WITH LOWS IN THE TEENS AND 20S FOR WED THROUGH FRI. THE WEATHER PATTERN DRIES OUT FOR SATURDAY AND SUNDAY WITH WARMING TEMPS WHICH WILL MELT ANY LOWER ELEVATION SNOW THAT ACCUMULATES THIS WEEK. && .AVIATION.../12Z ISSUANCE/ WEST OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE...KJAC/KRKS/KPNA/KBPI ROUTES A MOIST WESTERLY FLOW WILL BRING NMRS SHSN INTO THE WESTERN MTNS BY 12Z WITH MTNS BECOMING MOSTLY OBSCURED...AND SCT-NMRS MVFR SHRASN WILL PUSH INTO FAR WEST VALLEYS VCNTY KJAC-KAFO. THERE WILL LIKELY BE SOME OVERALL IMPROVEMENT SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND SUNDAY EVENING IN CIGS AND PCPN COVERAGE AS SW FLOW INCREASES AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT...EXCEPT IN THE SW WHERE ISOLD/SCT SHRASN WILL DEVELOP OFF THE UINTA RANGE AND MOVE INTO VCNTY KRKS. A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL PUSH ACROSS THE AREA 9Z-12Z MONDAY WITH SNOW INCREASING RAPIDLY AFTER 6Z MONDAY WITH WIDESPREAD IFR/MVFR CONDITIONS LIKELY ACROSS THE AREA BY 12Z MONDAY. EAST OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE...KCPR/KCOD/KRIW/KWRL/KLND ROUTES VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING. SW SFC WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 15-25KTS ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA 17Z-19Z SUNDAY. ISOLD-SCT SHRA WILL LIKELY DEVELOP BTWN KRKS-KCPR IN THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING WITH LCL MVFR CONDITIONS AND HIGHER TERRAIN OBSCURATIONS POSSIBLE. WESTERLY FLOW WILL INCREASE AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING PACIFIC COLD FRONT SUNDAY NIGHT. THIS WILL RESULT IN POSSIBLE STRONG WIND GUSTS OVER 40KTS ALONG THE EAST SLOPES OF THE DIVIDE...VCNTY KCOD-KDUB-KLND ALONG WITH AREAS OF LLWS. MTNS WILL ALSO BECOME INCREASINGLY OBSCURED VCNTY CONTINENTAL DIVIDE 6Z-12Z MONDAY. && .FIRE WEATHER... SNOW AND VALLEY RAIN AND SNOW WILL MOVE INTO THE WEST TODAY AND BRING A VERY GOOD CHANCE OF A WETTING RAIN AND SNOW ACROSS THE WESTERN MOUNTAINS TODAY. EXPECT POOR SMOKE DISPERSAL WITH THE SNOW. EAST OF THE DIVIDE...SLIGHTLY COOLER TEMPERATURES SHOULD DECREASE FIRE DANGER A BIT. HOWEVER...WITH GUSTY WINDS EXPECTED ANY FIRES THAT CAN START COULD SPREAD QUICKLY. A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT INTO MONDAY AND BRING IN MUCH COOLER TEMPERATURES...ALTHOUGH BREEZY TO WINDY CONDITIONS CAN STILL BE EXPECTED ON MONDAY. SHOWERS ARE POSSIBLE EAST OF THE DIVIDE MONDAY...ALTHOUGH WETTING RAIN IS NOT EXPECTED. && .RIW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER STORM WATCH FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON FOR WYZ013-023-024. WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 6 PM MDT MONDAY FOR WYZ001-012. WINTER STORM WARNING FROM NOON TODAY TO 6 PM MDT MONDAY FOR WYZ014. && SHORT TERM...HATTINGS LONG TERM...AR AVIATION...AEM FIRE WEATHER...HATTINGS
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY 406 AM MDT SUN MAR 13 2016 WYZ001>020-022>030-141200- 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- 406 AM MDT SUN MAR 13 2016 ...WINTER STORM WATCH FOR THE SALT AND WYOMING RANGE...JACKSON VALLEY AND STAR VALLEY... ...WINTER STORM WARNING FOR YELLOWSTONE...THE TETONS AND WESTERN WIND RIVER MOUNTAINS... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WESTERN AND CENTRAL WYOMING. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SNOW WILL SPREAD INTO THE WESTERN MOUNTAINS TODAY AND CONTINUE INTO TONIGHT ALONG WITH INCREASING WIND. PLEASE SEE WINTER WEATHER STATEMENTS AND FORECASTS FOR DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY MONDAY...SIGNIFICANT SNOW POSSIBLE ACROSS THE WEST...ESPECIALLY OVER THE FAR WESTERN MOUNTAINS. STRONG WIND POSSIBLE IN THE CODY FOOTHILLS. HIGH WIND POSSIBLE IN SPOTS EAST OF THE DIVIDE. TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...COLDER WITH PERIODIC CHANCES OF SNOW SHOWERS ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE URGED TO REPORT SNOWFALL AMOUNTS. THANK YOU.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY 302 AM MDT SUN MAR 13 2016 WYZ002-132200- ABSAROKA MOUNTAINS- 302 AM MDT SUN MAR 13 2016 A STORM WILL APPROACH WYOMING TODAY LIGHT TO OCCASIONALLY MODERATE SNOW SHOWERS AND WIND WILL INCREASE THROUGH TONIGHT...WITH HEAVIEST SNOWFALL MONDAY MORNING. WIND 20 TO 40 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS WILL MIX WITH SNOW AT TIMES GREATLY REDUCING VISIBILITY TO LESS THAN ONE HALF MILE AT TIMES. SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS COULD RANGE BETWEEN 3 AND 10 INCHES. WYZ027-132200- SOUTH LINCOLN COUNTY- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...KEMMERER...COKEVILLE 302 AM MDT SUN MAR 13 2016 A STORM WILL APPROACH WYOMING TODAY...WITH SNOW AND WIND INCREASING ACROSS THE AREA. WIND 15 TO 30 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS WILL MIX WITH SNOW GREATLY REDUCING VISIBILITY TO LESS THAN ONE HALF MILE AT TIMES. SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS FROM TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY COULD RANGE BETWEEN 3 AND 6 INCHES. WYZ025-026-132200- UPPER GREEN RIVER BASIN FOOTHILLS-UPPER GREEN RIVER BASIN- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...PINEDALE...LA BARGE...BIG PINEY... FARSON 302 AM MDT SUN MAR 13 2016 A STORM WILL APPROACH WYOMING TODAY...LIGHT SNOW WILL BECOME STEADIER AND HEAVIER TONIGHT INTO MONDAY. HEAVIEST SNOWFALL SHOULD OCCUR BETWEEN LATE TONIGHT AND MONDAY MORNING. ADDITIONALLY...WIND 10 TO 20 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS WILL MIX WITH SNOW AT TIMES REDUCING VISIBILITY TO LESS THAN ONE HALF MILE AT TIMES. SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS COULD RANGE BETWEEN 2 AND 4 INCHES FOR MOST LOCATIONS WITH HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE NEAR BONDURANT. WYZ019-028>030-132200- GREEN MOUNTAINS AND RATTLESNAKE RANGE- ROCK SPRINGS AND GREEN RIVER-FLAMING GORGE-EAST SWEETWATER COUNTY- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...JEFFREY CITY...ROCK SPRINGS... GREEN RIVER...WAMSUTTER 302 AM MDT SUN MAR 13 2016 AS STORM APPROACHING WYOMING TODAY WILL BRING SNOW SHOWERS THAT WILL INCREASE IN COVERAGE AND INTENSITY LATE TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY MORNING ACROSS SWEETWATER COUNTY IN ADDITION TO THE GREEN AND RATTLESNAKE MOUNTAINS. HEAVIEST SNOWFALL SHOULD OCCUR BETWEEN MIDNIGHT TONIGHT AND NOON ON MONDAY. ADDITIONALLY...WIND 10 TO 20 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS WILL MIX WITH SNOW AT TIMES REDUCING VISIBILITY TO LESS THAN ONE HALF MILE AT TIMES. SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS COULD RANGE BETWEEN 1 AND 3 INCHES FOR MOST LOCATIONS.VERY GUSTY WEST WINDS WILL ARRIVE MONDAY AFTERNOON AS SNOW IS DECREASING...WITH GUSTS OF 45 MPH COMMON. WYZ015-016-132200- WIND RIVER MOUNTAINS EAST-UPPER WIND RIVER BASIN- INCLUDING THE CITY OF...DUBOIS 302 AM MDT SUN MAR 13 2016 AS A STORM APPROACHES WYOMING TODAY...LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOW SHOWERS AND INCREASING WINDS WILL INCREASE. HEAVIEST SNOWFALL IS EXPECTED TO OCCUR FROM LATE SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY MORNING. WIND 15 TO 35 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS WILL MIX WITH SNOW GREATLY REDUCING VISIBILITY TO LESS THAN ONE HALF MILE AT TIMES. SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY COULD RANGE BETWEEN 6 AND 12 INCHES FOR MOST MOUNTAIN LOCATIONS AND FROM 1 TO 3 INCHES FROM DUBOIS WESTWARD. WYZ008-009-132200- BIGHORN MOUNTAINS WEST-BIGHORN MOUNTAINS SOUTHEAST- 302 AM MDT SUN MAR 13 2016 AS A STORM APPROACHES WYOMING TODAY...SNOW SHOWERS WILL INCREASE IN INTENSITY FROM SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY. HEAVIEST SNOWFALL IS EXPECTED MONDAY AFTERNOON. WIND 15 TO 25 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS WILL MIX WITH SNOW GREATLY REDUCING VISIBILITY TO LESS THAN ONE HALF MILE AT TIMES. SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS COULD RANGE BETWEEN 3 AND 6 INCHES.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 winter storm, 1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Snowfall of 13 inches was recorded at Two Ocean Plateau.
Snowfall of over one foot was estimated at Blind Bull Summit SNOTEL.
Heavy snow fell throughout the Tetons. Over a foot of snow fell in less than 24 hours at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.
Six inches of snow was measured at the Grand Teton National Park headquarters at Moose.
Numerous wind gusts over 58 mph were reported west of Clark, including a maximum gust of 90 mph.
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, March 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: 615415, 615427, 615418, 615419, 615444.