5 miles southeast of the Buckboard Marina on Flaming Gorge reservoir around 1 pm after gusty winds developed and the water became choppy. The boat was swamped and eventually capsized.
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 boat capsized around 3.5 miles southeast of the Buckboard Marina on Flaming Gorge reservoir around 1 pm after gusty winds developed and the water became choppy. The boat was swamped and eventually capsized. A 48 year old man drowned as a result. He was the only one not wearing a life vest. Two other men suffered minor injuries.
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 Jun 23, 10:35 AM MST, 1 hour 25 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Riverton WY 1135 AM MDT Sat Jun 23 2018 .SHORT TERM...Today through Monday night As of today, we are standing at the summit of active weather across Wyoming for the next several days. The culprit for the active weather today will be a shortwave that will pivot around an area of low pressure over Montana and also drag an associated cold front through the region. And the result will be another round of showers and thunderstorms across the area, especially in the afternoon and evening although some will continue into the overnight. As for the main threats, there are two. The first is hail. There could be some larger hail in Johnson County. However, given the high precipitable water values and low wet bulb zero levels, a larger quantity of small hail may be a bigger threat. The main threat is heavy rain. However, the models have been backing off on this a bit. The main threat would be across the Big Horn range as well as Johnson and Natrona Counties where moisture is a bit deeper. This also looks to be more related to individual thunderstorms rather than widespread activity. And as you know, it is impossible to pinpoint these. We thought about dropping the watch for areas west of the Bighorn Range but we will punt to the day shift for the final decision. The showers will likely continue through the night as well. Today looks like a cool day as well. We should see some improvement on Sunday. All the models have trended drier for tomorrow. The one exception may be Natrona County and possibly the Big Horn Range but even here it does not look as wet as yesterday. We did reduce POPS across area further west however as some ridging starts to build into the area. We also made things a bit sunnier as well. All showers should end after midnight Sunday. We look to enter a dry period starting Monday as ridging builds across the state. The GFS still has some light QPF across the Bighorn range but this looks suspiciously like the "Bighorn Rain Forest" effect. This is otherwise known as the models overdoing the orographic effects on precipitation. As a result, we kept things dry. Temperatures should also begin an upward trend, averaging 10 degrees warmer than on Sunday. .LONG TERM...Tuesday through Saturday A weak cold front is expected to push into northern Wyoming Tuesday in response to an upper low pushing east across south-central Canada. Moisture and forcing is limited so any convection should be confined to the far north mainly along and north of the frontal boundary. For now will only have slight PoPs mentioned in the far northern mountains. A dry westerly flow is expected Wednesday with the weak surface front dissipating. By Thursday and Friday, global models are showing a trough of various intensities/evolution forming across the West and pushing across the Rockies late next week into the weekend. Overall there will be daily shots of convection especially over the northwest and north with possibly of 1 or 2 Pacific cold fronts impacting the area. Temperatures are expected to generally 5-10 degrees above average Tuesday through Thursday with a possible cool down Friday and Saturday dependent upon frontal timing and coverage of precipitation. && .AVIATION...18Z/Saturday Issuance All terminals will be VFR through at least 06Z/Sunday. Some MVFR ceilings possible at KCPR and KWRL between about 08Z-14Z/Sunday. Confidence is low and have not included as a prevailing group with this forecast issuance. Mountain top obscurations will become more widespread after 21Z/Saturday. Upper low continues to spin over western Montana with leading edge of associated shortwave stretched across northwest Wyoming. Convection already ongoing along and north of a line from KJAC to KGEY. Cumulus field over the Wind River Mountains has developed into an area of thunderstorms late Saturday morning and will track across KLND between 18Z-19Z/Saturday. Northern convection will slip south Saturday with showers and storms becoming numerous between 21Z/Saturday and 03Z/Sunday across northern and central Wyoming. Showers should decrease in coverage after 03Z/Sunday but they will continue overnight. The showers will likely linger at KCPR and KWRL through Sunday morning. Gusty west- northwest surface wind of 15-25kts expected ahead of a south-moving cold front Saturday afternoon. This front should reach a KLND-KCPR line by around 01Z/Sunday with gusty north wind in its wake through 06Z/Sunday. Please see the Aviation Weather Center and/or CWSU ZDV and ZLC for the latest information on icing and turbulence forecasts. && .FIRE WEATHER... A weather system and cold front will drop across the state and bring some showers and thunderstorms, most numerous in northern and eastern portions of the area. A gusty wind will continue across portions of Sweetwater County. Any shower or thunderstorm could have erratic winds. Relative humidity should remain above critical levels. Locally wetting rains are possible in thunderstorms, especially in eastern portions of the area. Mixing and smoke dispersal will range from fair in the north to excellent in the south. && .RIW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Flood Watch from this evening through Sunday afternoon for WYZ005>011-017-019-020-022. && SHORT TERM...Hattings LONG TERM...Murrell AVIATION...CNJ FIRE WEATHER...Hattings
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Riverton WY 138 AM MDT Sat Jun 23 2018 WYZ001>020-022>030-241300- 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- 138 AM MDT Sat Jun 23 2018 ...Flood Watch is in effect from Saturday evening through Sunday afternoon for central and eastern portions... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for Western and Central Wyoming. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Saturday and Saturday night...Showers and thunderstorms will become more numerous by the afternoon and continue through the overnight hours. Localized flooding is possible Saturday night. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday Sunday...Scattered showers with isolated thunderstorms, with locally heavy rain, will continue through the day. Precipitation will end by late Sunday evening. Thursday and Friday...Isolated afternoon and evening thunderstorms mainly over the north. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters are urged to report hail, wind gusts past 45 mph and any flooding. Thank you.
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Riverton WY 1258 PM MDT SAT JUN 23 2018 WYZ005-007-231930- Owl Creek and Bridger Mountains-Southwest Big Horn Basin- 1258 PM MDT SAT JUN 23 2018 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHEASTERN HOT SPRINGS COUNTY UNTIL 130 PM MDT... At 1256 PM MDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 7 miles southwest of Thermopolis, moving east at 30 mph. Pea to penny sized hail, wind gusts around 40 mph, brief heavy rain, and dangerous lightning will be possible with this storm. This strongest part of this storm will remain just to the south of Thermopolis, crossing Highway 789 between around Wedding of the Waters. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm. Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe shelter inside a building or vehicle. && LAT...LON 4353 10841 4362 10839 4364 10798 4347 10801 TIME...MOT...LOC 1856Z 273DEG 24KT 4358 10833 CNJ
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strong Wind, Flaming Gorge | 2018-06-23 | 48 | Male | In Water | Indirect |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Wyoming in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in Wyoming, June 2018
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: 758147.