The pressure gradient ahead of a deepening low pressure system in the Great Basin produced strong southwest wind across central Wyoming. Peak wind speeds topped 60 mph at several locations.
Every event with a place to put it; 2 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.
The pressure gradient ahead of a deepening low pressure system in the Great Basin produced strong southwest wind across central Wyoming. Peak wind speeds topped 60 mph at several locations. Wind gusts on the south side of Casper reached 73 mph around 1800MST and damaged the roof of a church just north of the intersection of Wyoming Boulevard and Casper Mountain Road.
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 Oct 3, 2:10 PM MST, 1 hour 40 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Riverton WY 310 PM MDT MON OCT 3 2016 .Short Term...Tonight Through Tuesday High winds will remain a threat across southwest Wyoming into central Wyoming in southern Lincoln...sweetwater...southern Fremont and Natrona counties this evening. Areas of wet heavy snow will continue through the night over the western and northern mountains with snow levels ranging from 7500 to 8500 feet. some higher mountain areas may see 6 to 12 inches. Temperatures will be cold. brisk winds will be a threat through Tuesday. .Long Term...Tuesday night Through Monday As the storm moves into eastern Montana...northwest flow will increase with the western and northern mountains continuing to be favorable for rain and snow showers. lower elevations east of the continental divide will see precipitation decrease with temperatures remaining cold Tuesday and Wednesday. high pressure will build into the west through friday with drying conditions and warming temperatures into monday. && .Aviation.../00Z Issuance/ West of the Continental Divide...KJAC/KBPI/KPNA/KRKS Widely scattered to numerous rain and snow showers will become more isolated and decrease in extent across the southern zones this evening. To the north, however, rain/snow showers will continue through at least 09Z before seeing a decrease, but not end to, in these showers. Near and north of the KJAC terminal and across northwest Wyoming will see the most persistent areas of MVFR/occasional IFR conditions due to lower CIGS and VSBYS. KJAC looks to see prevailing snow showers between 01Z-03Z...lasting through at least 06Z...possibly longer. Expect mountains to be frequently obscured tonight. Windy conditions will continue this evening with the wind beginning to decrease some by 03z at most locations. Wind shear will also be an issue at most terminal sites this evening and overnight. East of the Continental Divide...KCOD/KCPR/KLND/KRIW/KWRL Scattered to numerous showers and perhaps an isolated thunderstorm are expected continue through 06z...decreasing in coverage from south to north this evening...but lingering across the Big Horn Basin through 12Z...and the Bighorn mountains through 21Z. MVFR/occasional IFR conditions in lower CIGS and reduced VIS in showers will continue until around 06Z. VFR/occasional MVFR conditions to prevail after 06Z. Expect mountains to be frequently obscured tonight. Very windy conditions will continue this evening as a vigorous storm system moves into northern WY this evening. An KRKS to KCPR line looks to see the strongest wind speeds with 25 to 35 knots and gusts to 45 knots before slowly decreasing after 02Z. Winds will begin to increase once again after 16Z. Wind shear will be an issue at most terminal sites this evening and overnight. && .Fire Weather... High winds will remain a threat across southwest Wyoming into central Wyoming in southern Lincoln...sweetwater...southern Fremont and Natrona counties this evening. Areas of wet heavy snow will continue through the night over the western and northern mountains with snow levels ranging from 7500 to 8500 feet. some higher mountain areas may see 6 to 12 inches. Temperatures will be cold. brisk winds will be a threat through Tuesday. && .RIW Watches/Warnings/Advisories... High Wind Warning until 9 PM MDT this evening for WYZ019-020- 027>030. Winter Weather Advisory until 6 AM MDT Tuesday for WYZ012-014- 015-024. Winter Weather Advisory from 6 PM this evening to noon MDT Tuesday for WYZ008-009. && SHORT TERM...C.Baker LONG TERM...C.Baker AVIATION...Braun FIRE WEATHER...C.Baker
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY 249 AM MDT MON OCT 3 2016 WYZ001>020-022>030-041200- 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- 249 AM MDT MON OCT 3 2016 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES IN EFFECT FOR THE WESTERN MOUNTAINS AND BIGHORN MOUNTAINS THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING... ...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN WYOMING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WESTERN AND CENTRAL WYOMING. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT AN APPROACHING AREA OF LOW PRESSURE WILL KEEP SNOWFALL PRESENT OVER THE WESTERN MOUNTAINS TODAY...WITH SNOW ALSO DEVELOPING ACROSS THE BIGHORN MOUNTAINS LATE THIS AFTERNOON. DETAILS REGARDING SNOWFALL CAN BE SEEN IN THE WINTER WEATHER PRODUCTS. HIGH WIND IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN WYOMING...AND LAST INTO THE EVENING HOURS. DETAILS CAN BE SEEN IN THE HIGH WIND PRODUCT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY TUESDAY...SNOWFALL WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS ESPECIALLY OVER THE BIGHORN MOUNTAINS. TOTAL SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 5 TO 12 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE BY TUESDAY MORNING. WEDNESDAY...PERIODS OF SNOWFALL WILL BE FOUND OVER THE MOUNTAINS WITH COOLING TEMPERATURES EXPECTED ACROSS THE AREA. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SNOWFALL AMOUNTS AND ANY WIND OVER 45 MPH. THANK YOU. TEAM RIVERTON
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A 70 mph gust was recorded at Fales Rock. At Camp Creek, many gusts eclipsed 58 mph including a maximum of 65 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, October 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: 658900, 657811.