A cold front moved across Wyoming and brought high winds to the wind prone areas of central Wyoming. The highest wind occurred in the higher elevations of the Green Mountains where a maximum wind gust of 82 mph was 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 cold front moved across Wyoming and brought high winds to the wind prone areas of central Wyoming. The highest wind occurred in the higher elevations of the Green Mountains where a maximum wind gust of 82 mph was recorded. An 80 mph gust was reported south of Casper as well.
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 Jan 6, 1:23 AM MST, 1 hour 37 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Riverton WY 123 AM MST Sun Jan 6 2019 .SHORT TERM...Today through Tuesday Night Light snow has begun to fall since midnight Sunday across the far west mountains and Jackson Hole. 150+kt jet is working its way north through western Wyoming early Sunday morning. This jet will translate east through the forecast area Sunday. Shortwave energy and associated moisture will decrease by mid-afternoon Sunday with a period of drying to follow. Valley locations could still see 1 to 3 inches of snow by mid afternoon Sunday. Mountain totals will generally range from 4 to 8 inches. Downsloping winds will keep conditions dry east of the Continental Divide while there could still be a period of light snow through midday Sunday across Sweetwater County. Pinedale and zone 25 may end up being on the low end of the forecast snowfall totals. Since the snowfall is just underway have opted to not make any changes at this time to the ongoing winter weather advisory. As for winds, lee trough over northeast Wyoming will generate a southwest wind 20 to 30 mph with gusts to 40 mph across central Wyoming Sunday afternoon. Broad trough will remain across the forecast area Sunday night with 120+kt jet progressing across the Pacific Northwest and the Intermountain West. Shortwave energy associated with this feature will reach the western border Monday morning and 700-500mb layer relative humidity increases in the west after midnight Monday. Mid- level and upper level winds will increase during this same period as northwest-southeast oriented jet slides across western Wyoming. Light snow will break-out in the far west after 06Z/Monday. The best potential for moderate to heavy snow appears to be from about 09Z to 15Z/Monday. Left exit region of the jet, 700mb temperatures of -12C, lapse rates of 6-7C/km, and west-southwest 30-40kt winds will all aid orographic snow production during this 6-hour window. Westerly wind will increase Monday morning as 700mb winds trend to 40-50kts. The combination of snow and wind will make for a hazardous commute over Teton Pass Monday morning. Widespread blowing snow and reeduced visibilities are expected in the western mountains and valleys Monday morning. Will continue the winter storm watch for the expected impacts not necessarily the expected snowfall totals. Timing of the watch may need to be adjusted as the snow should be on a rapid decline across the west between 18Z-21Z/Monday. Trough axis and a cold front will push east of the Continental Divide during this time. Both the GFS and NAM show noticeable drying across the west during this time with lapse rates becoming stable. The story then becomes the wind east of the Divide. Widespread 700mb wind of 50-55kts, cold air advection, and a favorable 700mb gradient across the state all lend credence to the current high wind watch. Made adjustments to the expected wind gusts Monday afternoon across favored west-northwest flow locations, like the Wind River Basin. Late Monday afternoon pressure rises look to be on the order of +8 to +9mb/3 hours. This should translate to widespread 40 to 50 mph gusts Monday afternoon. The weather picture turns quieter Monday evening as the jet lifts north and the pressure gradient relaxes. Shortwave ridging will move into the state overnight in response to the next trough approaching the West Coast. This ridge will traverse the forecast area Tuesday and Tuesday night with southwest flow and warm air advection increasing late in the period. It will be dry with much less wind on Tuesday. The lack of wind will limit mixing, so temperatures will be cooler Tuesday than Monday. Foothill locations and the I-25 corridor are likely to be the warmest locations. .LONG TERM...Wednesday through Sunday Overview...A weak Pacific cold front will move east across the area Wednesday night, bringing chances of snow showers to the northwest mountains late Wednesday through Thursday morning, and breezy to windy conditions mainly across the southern wind corridor. A ridge of high pressure will then bring more tranquil weather Thursday afternoon through the weekend with most highs in the 30s to lower 40s, except for under steepening inversions over western valleys and lower central basins where highs will only be in the 20s to lower 30s. Discussion...Synoptic pattern on Wednesday morning is forecast to feature ridge centered across the High Plains with trough along the west coast. This trough is expected to shear northeast up the backside of the ridge, across Montana Wednesday night. Both GFS and ECMWF have trended weaker with this system over the last few runs with the latest 06/00z ECMWF dampening most of this system out as it crests the ridge Wednesday night, keeping Wyoming dry. GFS continues to bring some light QPF into the northwest Wednesday night. Forecast keeps chance PoPs in the NW, but we may need to back off of these if the weakening trends continue. Upper ridge rebuilds over the area behind this system late Thursday and Friday with the next series of Pacific systems expected to split over and under the ridge as they move inland. The protective ridge will keep these systems well north and south of our area. Weak flow and a dry, warm lid of air aloft will likely result in steepening inversions over the western valleys and lower central basins that will lag better mixed areas by around 10 degrees for highs and lows. These conditions will also be favorable for some fog development in the nighttime and morning hours. && .AVIATION...For the 12Z TAFS through 12Z Monday West of the Divide...KBPI/KJAC/KPNA/KRKS Routes Snow will occur in most areas through 00Z. MVFR to IFR conditions will be common at the terminal sites. Conditions will be improving around 00Z at most places. KJAC will see snow through the period with some improvement around 00Z Monday, but conditions will again lower by 11Z Monday with the next batch of snow. Mountains will be frequently obscured through the period. East of the Divide...KCOD/KCPR/KLND/KRIW/KWRL Routes VFR conditions will occur through the period. Windy conditions at KCPR airport will continue through 00Z, then decrease some after 00Z. Areas of LLWS will occur along the east slopes of the Wind River and Absaroka Mountains after 03Z Monday through 12Z Monday. Please see the Aviation Weather Center and/or CWSU ZDV and ZLC for the latest information on icing and turbulence forecasts. && .FIRE WEATHER... Snow will persist in far west Wyoming through Monday with the exception of a brief break Sunday evening as two distinct weather systems move across the state. Southwest Wyoming and areas east of the Continental Divide will generally remain dry. The wind will be on the increase Sunday and Monday for almost all of western and central Wyoming. Gusty southwest wind 25 to 40 mph will be common Sunday in the corridor stretching from Sweetwater County into Natrona County as well as the higher terrain. The second weather system will bring even stronger winds as a cold front blasts across the region Monday morning. West to northwest wind will blow 25 to 40 mph with gusts 45 to 60 mph. Basin inversions will break and slightly above normal temperatures can be expected across the forecast area. The combination of the strong wind and rising mixing heights will create fair to good smoke dispersal Sunday and Monday. Drier and noticeably lower wind speeds are anticipated Tuesday along with normal to slightly above normal temperatures. && .RIW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... High Wind Watch from Monday morning through Monday afternoon for WYZ019-020-022-028>030. High Wind Watch Monday afternoon for WYZ005-007-016>018. Winter Weather Advisory until 5 PM MST this afternoon for WYZ001- 012>014-023>025. Winter Storm Watch from late tonight through Monday afternoon for WYZ001-002-012>015-023>025-027. High Wind Watch from Monday afternoon through Monday evening for WYZ010-011. && SHORT TERM...CNJ LONG TERM...AEM AVIATION...AR FIRE WEATHER...CNJ
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Riverton WY 128 AM MST Sun Jan 6 2019 WYZ001>020-022>030-070830- 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- 128 AM MST Sun Jan 6 2019 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for Western and Central Wyoming. ...Winter Weather Advisories and Watches in effect for portions of western Wyoming Sunday and Monday... ...High Wind Watches posted Monday for southwest and central Wyoming... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for Western and Central Wyoming. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Today...Snow continues across the far west mountains and valleys through mid afternoon Monday. Tonight...After a brief break Sunday evening, the snow will increase again across the far west mountains and valleys after midnight Monday. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday Monday...A winter storm watch is in effect for portions of western Wyoming. Periods of moderate to locally heavy snow will fall in the western mountains and far west valleys during the morning hours. The snow will combine with gusty wind to produce blowing and drifting snow until early afternoon. A high wind watch is also in effect for much of southwest and central Wyoming from Monday morning into Monday evening. Westerly wind 35 to 45 mph with gusts to 50 to 65 mph will be possible across the high wind watch area. The area of strongest winds will extend from Sweetwater County to Natrona County. Neighboring Fremont and Johnson counties can expect very gusty wind Monday afternoon. If you are planning travel through this area from early Monday into Monday evening, be alert for strong wind gusts and dangerous crosswinds. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters are urged to report any snowfall amounts and wind gusts exceeding 45 mph. Team Riverton
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Many wind gusts past 58 mph were recorded along the south side of Casper. The highest wind gust was 80 mph along Wyoming Boulevard.
A wind gust of 62 mph was recorded at Bitter Creek along Interstate 80. A 60 mph was recorded at the Snow Springs RAWS site.
Several high wind gusts occurred at the Camp Creek RAWS site. The highest wind gust recorded was 82 mph.
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, January 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: 802748, 802749, 802750.