Wyoming, 2019

Extreme Cold and High Wind in Wyoming, February 20, 2019

February 20, 2019 · NWS CYS · 3 events in 2 counties and zones

The transition of a longwave trough axis from western North Dakota through western Kansas created a strong gradient to produce high westerly winds across the region. Wind prone areas susceptible to this direction produced high winds during this period.

Where it happened

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.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
3

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS CYS wrote it up.

The transition of a longwave trough axis from western North Dakota through western Kansas created a strong gradient to produce high westerly winds across the region. Wind prone areas susceptible to this direction produced high winds during this period.

What forecasters said that day

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 Cheyenne, WY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 19, 4:37 PM MST, 10 hours 48 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 19, 4:37 PM MST, 10 hours 48 minutes before
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The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 high wind, 1 extreme cold/wind chill. Local standard time, as filed.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, South Laramie Range

When
February 20, 3:25 AM MST to 5:25 AM MST
Where
South Laramie Range forecast zone
Reported by
Department of Highways
Coordinates
41.481, -105.207 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wyoming Department of Transportation sensors near the Interstate 80 Summit measured a wind chill of minus 30 with air temperatures around minus two and thirty mph winds.

High Wind, South Laramie Range

When
February 20, 3:26 AM MST to 4:26 AM MST
Where
South Laramie Range forecast zone
Measured
38 kt (44 mph) measured sustained
Reported by
Department of Highways
Coordinates
41.481, -105.207 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wyoming Department of Transportation sensor at Buford East or one mile east-southeast of Buford measured the reported wind gust.

High Wind, North Snowy Range Foothills

When
February 20, 2:50 PM MST to 4:45 PM MST
Where
North Snowy Range Foothills forecast zone
Measured
36 kt (41 mph) measured sustained
Reported by
Department of Highways
Coordinates
41.675, -106.327 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wyoming Department of Transportation sensor at Arlington measured the reported wind speed.

What these are

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
Temperatures or wind chills at or below the local warning criteria, or cold that caused deaths.
High Wind
Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Wyoming in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in Wyoming, February 2019

Sources

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 808401, 805573, 805574.