A combination of an approaching front that tightened the pressure gradient and strong mid level winds mixing to the surface brought high winds portions of northwestern and central Wyoming. Hurricane force wind gusts occurred in the Absarokas where a pair of 82 mph wind gusts were recorded.
Every event with a place to put it; 3 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 combination of an approaching front that tightened the pressure gradient and strong mid level winds mixing to the surface brought high winds portions of northwestern and central Wyoming. Hurricane force wind gusts occurred in the Absarokas where a pair of 82 mph wind gusts were recorded. In the nearby Cody Foothills, two locations near Clark had gusts to 67 mph with gusts over 50 mph in the west side of Cody. In the Green and Rattlesnake range, high winds blew at Camp Creek for many hours with a maximum wind gust of 77 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 Mar 1, 2:41 AM MST, 1 hour 31 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Riverton WY 241 AM MST Wed Mar 1 2017 .SHORT TERM...Wednesday through Friday night The vast majority of the area is quiet this morning. However, there are always exceptions to the rule. The exception this morning is northern Johnson County where there has been some snow in the unstable northwesterly flow. This looks to be coming to an end though. All in all, things look fairly similar to yesterday. As for whether March will come in like a lion or a lamb it depends where you are. But for Wyoming, the most appropriate animals would be the wolf and the cow. Most areas East of the Divide will be similar to yesterday with dry conditions and below normal temperatures, although maybe a degree or two warmer than Tuesday so there, it will come in like a cow. Across the west, another trough will move in but this one has less moisture and instability to work with than the previous system so only light amounts of snow are expected. The one area where March will come in like a wolf is across the Cody Foothills and Absarokas where there could be some high wind. It is not the best setup, but with 700 millibar winds approaching 60 knots and some possible mountain wave development, we will let the warning ride. The best timing for high winds would be this afternoon into early evening before some cold advection moves in to decrease the wind. In addition, an Alberta Clipper will be dropping southward into the northern Plains today and tonight. The vast majority of the energy looks to go east of Wyoming. However, some models, especially the GFS, has some snow moving into northern Wyoming. As a result, we have put slight to chance POPS across the north mainly for late tonight and into early Thursday as the clipper swings by. Thursday should see a decrease in the snow out west as flat ridging builds across the state and starts to shut off the snow. Most areas should be dry by Thursday night. Temperatures should continue a slow, emphasis on slow, warning trend in most areas as snow cover slowly continues to melt and albedo decreases. At this point, Friday looks like a dry day for all areas with somewhat warmer temperatures than previous days. The next Pacific system will begin to approach from the west Friday night. However, the models have slowed the progression of the system. As a result, we removed the POPS for Friday evening and cut them back for later Friday night as the bulk of the precipitation will likely hold off in the west until Saturday morning. There will also be some gusty winds developing in the usually favored areas as the system approaches. .LONG TERM...SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY Synopsis...A strong Pacific cold front will move east across Wyoming Sunday night. Windy and mild conditions will precede the cold front across central and southern areas while the west will see increasing chances of mountain snow, with a rain and snow mix possible in the valleys over the weekend. High winds will be possible in the Casper area Saturday, with the potential for high winds becoming more widespread on Sunday. Cooler and windy conditions will follow on Monday behind the cold front with snow showers lingering over the west. A milder southwest flow is favored Tuesday and Wednesday with chances of rain and snow showers confined mostly to the western mountains and far west valleys. Discussion...Synoptic pattern at the outset of the extended period Saturday morning feature an amplified ridge over the east central Pacific with downstream trough/upper low off the west coast, southwest flow across the Rockies into the Plains. By Sunday, spread between GFS and ECMWF increases with models completely out of phase across the western U.S. by midweek. Upper trough along the west coast early Saturday will translate the Rockies Sunday night, with the ECMWF much less amplified, more progressive with this trough than GFS. These differences are not too significant for sensible weather with both models showing the cold front pushing across the area Sunday night. Strengthening SW flow Saturday with some 50 knot plus winds at H7 between Rock Springs and Casper will translate into the potential for high winds. High winds will become more likely across a greater portion of central and southern Wyoming Sunday and Sunday night ahead of and with the cold frontal passage, while a good burst of snow will occur across the west along the front. On Monday, ECMWF shows an Omega block forming across the central and eastern Pacific with upper high along the Aleutian Islands, while the GFS places this high further north, allowing a more progressive mid-latitude flow across the central/eastern Pacific. ECMWF solution results in backing SW flow downstream across the western U.S. Tuesday and Wednesday, while GFS shows broad trough across most of the U.S. Canadian model in overall agreement with the ECMWF. Forecast is weighted toward the ECMWF/Canadian bringing milder SW flow into area. && .AVIATION.../12Z ISSUANCE/ WEST OF THE DIVIDE...KBPI/KJAC/KPNA/KRKS ROUTES The snowfall today is expected to be more stratiform, lighter, and more confined to the mountains than what has occurred over the past couple of days. The KJAC terminal should see persistent ceilings between 025-050 kft agl with flurries at times. Breezy southerly winds could also cause some BLSN at the airport. In the Upper Green River Basin (KBPI and KPNA), there will be patchy fog this morning with a stratocu deck forming by midday if not a bit sooner with some flurries possible. Across the far south including KRKS, windy west winds will be the main issue, but cannot rule out near MVFR ceilings at times. Far western mountain will be obscured much of the time with MVFR/IFR conditions through the period. EAST OF THE DIVIDE...KCOD/KCPR/KLND/KRIW/KWRL ROUTES Windy west to southwest wind, and low level wind shear at times will be the main concern today. Interior parts of the basins are expected to see much lighter winds. Tonight, a cold front will approach from the north. This combined with a moist northwest flow could result in some snow shower activity across the far north especially over the Bighorn Mountains after 00Z Thursday. Also, breezy northwest winds are expected to develop at KBYG tonight between 03Z and 06Z. Please see the Aviation Weather Center for the latest information on icing and turbulence forecasts. && .FIRE WEATHER... Another trough will move into the west and bring a few more periods of light snow. Most areas should see low fire danger continuing with some snowpack still around. Mixing and smoke dispersal should be generally fair to good in most areas this afternoon. High winds will be possible in the lee of the Absarokas with gusty winds likely across the southwestern Wind Corridor from the Red Desert through Natrona County. A system dropping in from the north could bring some light snow to northern Wyoming later tonight and early Thursday. && .RIW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... High Wind Warning until midnight MST tonight for WYZ002-003. && SHORT TERM...Hattings LONG TERM...AEM AVIATION...WM FIRE WEATHER...Hattings
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Riverton WY 251 AM MST Wed Mar 1 2017 WYZ001>020-022>030-021100- 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- 251 AM MST Wed Mar 1 2017 ...HIGH WIND WARNING FOR THE ABSAROKAS AND CODY FOOTHILLS THROUGH MIDNIGHT WEDNESDAY NIGHT... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for Western and Central Wyoming. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Strong to high winds are likely in the Absarokas and Cody Foothills. Periods of light snow west of the Divide. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday Saturday...Strong winds are possible from southeast Fremont County through the Casper area. Sunday and Monday...A strong cold front will move across the area Sunday night. High winds are possible ahead of and with the frontal passage across much of central and southern Wyoming Sunday into Monday. Snow, blowing and drifting snow, will likely accompany the cold front across the west Sunday and Monday with the most significant impacts expected Sunday afternoon and Sunday night. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters are encouraged to report snowfall amounts and wind gusts past 50 mph. Thank you!
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Wind gusts to 67 mph occurred at the wind sensors 5 miles west-northwest and 8 miles south of Clark.
There were several wind gusts past 58 mph at Camp Creek; including a maximum wind gust of 77 mph.
A pair of 82 mph wind gusts occurred at the wind sensor along the Chief Joseph Highway.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Wyoming in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyWarnings in Wyoming, March 2017
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: 680037, 680038, 680036.