Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in Wyoming, January 21 to 22, 2019

Name: Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in Wyoming, January 21 to 22, 2019
Start: 2019-01-21T11:00
End: 2019-01-22T08:00
Location: Wyoming

January 21 to 22, 2019 · NWS CYS · 9 events in 9 counties and zones

Potent winter storm impacted the area bringing periods of heavy snow and strong winds in the 30 to even 50 mph. Whiteout conditions along area roads and highways hindered traffic with closures on the interstates to alleviate any potential for accidents while providing crews safe access to clear drifts.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 9 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: 9

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.

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 Jan 20, 1:57 PM MST, 21 hours 3 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 20, 1:57 PM MST, 21 hours 3 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 20, 1:47 PM MST, 21 hours 13 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

7 winter storm, 2 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, North Snowy Range Foothills

When: January 21, 11:00 AM MST to January 22, 7:00 AM MST
Where: North Snowy Range Foothills forecast zone
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 41.675, -106.327 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wyoming Department of Transportation site three miles east-southeast of Elk Mountain measured a 67 mph gust during the ongoing snow creating travel impacts along Interstate 80 in the zone. With such strong winds, highest snowfall total was of 3.3 inches one mile southwest of Elk Mountain.

Winter Storm, Converse County Lower Elevations

When: January 21, 1:00 PM MST to January 22, 8:00 AM MST
Where: Converse County Lower Elevations forecast zone
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 42.972, -105.507 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Observer four miles east of Douglas measured 4.3 inches of snow with nearby Douglas Airport measuring a maximum wind gust of 39 mph during this period for additional blowing snow.

Winter Storm, Southwest Carbon County

When: January 21, 1:00 PM MST to January 22, 7:00 AM MST
Where: Southwest Carbon County forecast zone
Reported by: RAWS
Coordinates: 41.695, -106.931 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cow Creek or twenty-one miles north-northeast of Baggs measured a 58 mph gust with ongoing snow blowing through the area.

Heavy Snow, Sierra Madre Range

When: January 21, 1:30 PM MST to January 22, 8:00 AM MST
Where: Sierra Madre Range forecast zone
Reported by: SNOTEL
Coordinates: 41.695, -106.931 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Sensor at Sage Creek Basin with elevation of 7850 feet measured snow water equivalent of 1.4 inches. Snow to liquid ratio used to calculate snowfall was 15 to 1 for a total of 21.5 inches of snowfall.

Winter Storm, East Platte County

When: January 21, 4:00 PM MST to January 22, 1:00 AM MST
Where: East Platte County forecast zone
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 42.133, -104.966 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Observer nine miles south of Keeline measured 4.0 inches of snowfall with a Wyoming Department of Transportation sensor at Coleman or thirteen miles south of Glendo measuring a gust at 59 mph during this period.

Heavy Snow, North Laramie Range

When: January 21, 5:00 PM MST to January 22, 8:00 AM MST
Where: North Laramie Range forecast zone
Reported by: SNOTEL
Coordinates: 42.253, -105.399 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Sensor nineteen miles north-northeast of Shirley Basin measured an estimated 18 inches of snowfall.

Winter Storm, South Laramie Range Foothills

When: January 21, 5:00 PM MST to January 22, 1:45 AM MST
Where: South Laramie Range Foothills 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 site at Wyo Hill or ten miles southwest of Cheyenne measured a 58 mph gust in addition to snow totals up to 2 inches reported.

Winter Storm, South Laramie Range

When: January 21, 5:00 PM MST to January 22, 8:00 AM MST
Where: South Laramie Range forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 41.481, -105.207 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Observer three miles southeast of Buford measured 4.9 inches of snowfall with strong winds occurring throughout with gusts into the 30s and 40s.

Winter Storm, Central Laramie County

When: January 21, 5:00 PM MST to January 22, 1:45 AM MST
Where: Central Laramie County forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 41.307, -104.690 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cheyenne Weather Service Office reported 2.5 inches of snowfall coupled with strong winds gusting into the 50 mph range at the Cheyenne Airport.

What these are

Winter Storm: A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.
Heavy Snow: Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Wyoming in 2019 Every state in 2019 This day in weather history Warnings in Wyoming, January 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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 803690, 803705, 803709, 803692, 803707, 803701, 803702, 803703, 803704.