A series of Pacific fronts and troughs moved through western Wyoming and brought prolonged periods of snow with several breaks between the systems. Over the 5 days, there were rather impressive snow totals.
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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 series of Pacific fronts and troughs moved through western Wyoming and brought prolonged periods of snow with several breaks between the systems. Over the 5 days, there were rather impressive snow totals. The highest amounts fell in Teton County, where a favorable jet dynamics let to very heavy snowfall rates within convective snow bands. Over 40 inches of snow fell at the Jackson Hole Ski Resort with 10 to 20 inches common across the lower elevations. Maximum snowfall amounts around 2 feet also fell in Yellowstone Park, the Wind River Range and the Salt and Wyoming Ranges. Over a foot of snow also fell in the Star Valley. The heavy snow also led to avalanches that closed mountains passes throughout the event.
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 Feb 2, 2:41 PM MST, 19 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Riverton WY 241 PM MST Sat Feb 2 2019 .SHORT TERM...Tonight through Tuesday Like yesterday, we will divide the discussion into West and East of the Divide. West of the Divide...As expected, the precipitation so far has been fairly light through the morning with some rain mixing in across the valleys. Pocatello radar is now showing some stronger echoes moving in and we still expect these to move in tonight. All in all, things still look pretty good so we will let the highlights ride for now. We still expect the heaviest snow from late tonight into tomorrow morning as the trough axis and best jet dynamics move through the area. We had thoughts of extended the highlights through much of tomorrow but decided against it. The steadiest snow looks to end around noon tomorrow. The exception would be Yellowstone but seeing how there are few people there, impacts would be minimal. There should be around a 12 hour break with only light snow through that period. As for special weather statements, we will issue one for southern Wyoming for tonight into early Sunday for snow due to the possible impacts along Interstate 80. The next wave will then approach later Sunday night and continue into Monday. The models are in fairly good agreement with the heaviest snow falling during around a 12 hour period from later Sunday night through around midday Monday, aligning fairly closely with the left front quadrant of a jet streak riding across the area. There are some differences in the position however, and this will be critical in who gets the heaviest snow. The NAM is the furthest north, the GFS furthest south with the European somewhere in the middle. For now, we made few changes to continuity and will revisit this tomorrow to see if the models are in better agreement. Yet another wave will then move in for Tuesday. At this point, this one looks a little weaker than the previous two. Given the active weather over the next couple of days, we kept things generic until we can focus on it a bit more. East of the Divide...Again, we shift the concern here to wind. We have already seen winds past 60 mph along Outer Drive. This is the most impactful area by far. In the Green and Rattlesnake Range, the high winds are largely restricted to the higher elevations RAWS sites where impacts a minimal. We will let the high wind warnings go as is. Dry weather should continue into the evening. We do expect some snow to jump the divide. At this point, the best chance looks to be across the northern Big Horn Basin, mainly very late tonight and into first thing tomorrow where there will be a brief period of favorable left front quadrant jet dynamics and a frontal boundary coming down. We did increase POPS and QPF in this area. Most of the snow should stay in Montana. However, a few locations could pick up a few inches of snow. The best chance of this occurring would be north of a Cody to Greybull line. We will issue a special weather statement as well for these areas. We do have a slight chance to cover for all areas though. Gusty winds will continue across the same areas as well, although probably not as strong as today. As we slide into Monday, the main concern will be temperatures. A cold front will slide into the area but will likely stall across the area. The question is where, and this will be the determining factor with highs. We continue to have over a 20 degree spread in some locations around 100 miles apart (ex. Buffalo's high temperature in 14; Casper is 37). There will could also be some snow showers across the north, although the models are not completely in agreement. We maintained slight POPs for now. The front will continue to slide southward Tuesday, although again timing is an issue. There could also be some dynamics to touch off some snow Tuesday afternoon although once again, there is poor model agreement. We went with slight chance POPS for most areas again until there is better agreement. .LONG TERM...Tuesday night through Saturday Timing of the next system continues to slow down as it digs over N CA and the Great Basin. This will keep the Cowboy State under a moist, southwest flow, as the storm system slowly makes its way eastward over the Central Rockies. This will also cause the system to weaken and fill, as ejecting shortwaves wring out the associated moisture in this flow. The arctic front will push southward Tuesday night, as precipitation chances decrease over the north and west. The front is expected to be over SE WY Wednesday and could provide a favorable setup for heavier snow from the Interstate 80 corridor into the central basins, as large-scale ascent along the baroclinic zone intersects the surface front. This potential heavier band of snowfall is forecast to shift south and east of the area Wednesday night, with snow tapering off from NW-SE. Additional fresh snow cover and entrenched arctic airmass will result in poor temperature recovery on Thursday, with most highs expected only in the teens, followed by widespread sub-zero lows Thursday night. Upper flow is expected to back SW on Friday, with Arctic airmass giving way to milder Pacific air by Saturday. If the past few days is precedent, then the models are likely too fast bringing the next Pacific system into the west next weekend. Forecast keeps most of the area dry Friday and Saturday except for slight chances of orographic snow in the western mountains. && .AVIATION...For the 00Z TAFS through 00Z Sunday West of the Continental Divide (KJAC, KRKS, KPNA, KBPI) MVFR conditions are expected at KJAC through the TAF period with rain and snow occurring. This mix will change to all snow by 05Z Sunday. IFR conditions will be possible after 08Z Sunday. At KBPI and KPNA, conditions will become MVFR around 05Z Sunday with snow occurring. IFR conditions will also be possible at KBPI and KPNA after 08Z Sunday. KRKS will remain VFR through 11Z Sunday, before rain or snow showers move into that location. LLWS will continue for most locations through the TAF period. Expect frequent mountain obscuration and IFR conditions in the vicinity of the mountains. East of the Continental Divide (KCPR, KCOD, KRIW, KWRL, KLND) VFR conditions will prevail through 12Z Sunday. Windy southwest flow will continue from South Pass to KCPR through the TAF period. These winds could be strong at times through 03Z Sunday. LLWS will also remain a threat over this area, including KLND and KRIW, through 18Z Sunday. MVFR clouds will push southward after 12Z Sunday, impacting KCOD, as a cold front moves through the area. && .FIRE WEATHER... A Pacific weather system will bring snow to much of western Wyoming tonight into Sunday morning before tapering off Sunday afternoon. Strong winds will continue from the Red Desert through Natrona County until tomorrow although not quite as strong as today. Some snow may spread East of the Divide late tonight into Sunday morning, especially across northern Wyoming. Mixing and smoke dispersal will Sunday will generally range from fair to && .RIW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Weather Advisory until noon MST Sunday for WYZ001-002- 012>015-023>025. High Wind Warning until 8 PM MST this evening for WYZ019-020. && SHORT TERM...Hattings LONG TERM...LaVoie AVIATION...LaVoie FIRE WEATHER...Hattings
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Riverton WY 203 AM MST Sat Feb 2 2019 WYZ001>020-022>030-031000- 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- 203 AM MST Sat Feb 2 2019 ...High Wind Warning in Effect from the Green Mountains to Casper through early this evening... ...Winter Weather Advisory for much of western Wyoming from late this morning through noon Sunday... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for Western and Central Wyoming. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight. Strong winds from the Green Mountains/Rattlesnake Range to the Casper area. Periods of light to moderate snow in the west today, spreading to Southwest Wyoming tonight. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday. Sunday...Periods of light to moderate snow will continue in the west. A cold front will spread chances of snow and gusty north wind south across Northern and Central Wyoming. Tuesday and Wednesday...Snow increasing across the west and southwest on Tuesday. Moderate to locally heavy snow is expected to shift into south and central Wyoming on Tuesday night and Wednesday. An Arctic front will spread much colder temperatures and blustery north wind south across north and central Wyoming on Wednesday. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters are urged to report wind gusts of 50 mph or more and snowfall amounts. Thank you.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
6 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Very heavy snow fell through the Jackson Valley. The highest amount recorded was 35 inches near Teton Village. Total snowfall amounts of 18 to 30 inches were common around the Jackson Valley, including 26.5 inches at the town of Jackson.
Heavy snow fell through much of Yellowstone Park. Some of the highest snowfall amounts included 24 inches at Lewis Lake Divide and 22 inches at the Old Faithful Ranger Station.
Very heavy snow fell over much of the Tetons. The heaviest snow fell at the Jackson Hole Resort where 49 inches of new snow was measured. Numerous SNOTEL sites have 2 to 3 feet of new snow over the duration of the event.
Heavy snow fell in portions of the Wind River Range. The highest snowfall amount was 23 inches at the Deer Park SNOTEL site.
Heavy snow fell in much of the Salt and Wyoming Range. The highest amounts included 28 inches at Commissary Ridge and 20 inches at Blind Bull Summit.
Heavy snow fell in portions of the Star Valley. The highest amounts was 17 inches to the southeast of Thayne.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Wyoming in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in Wyoming, February 2019
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: 807901, 807899, 807900, 807904, 807903, 807902.