Strong winds spilled out of southeast Wyoming into the Nebraska Panhandle on 17 January 2020 bringing strong winds to Scotts Bluff and Cheyenne Counties.
Every event with a place to put it; 2 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 CYS wrote it up.
Strong winds spilled out of southeast Wyoming into the Nebraska Panhandle on 17 January 2020 bringing strong winds to Scotts Bluff and Cheyenne Counties.
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 17, 6:10 PM MST, 24 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Cheyenne WY
610 PM MST Fri Jan 17 2020
.UPDATE...
Issued at 601 PM MST Fri Jan 17 2020
Getting strong winds reported on WYDOT sensor Van Tassell along
Highway 20 in Niobrara County on the county line with northern
Sioux County Nebraska. Current wind gusts 60 mph and has been as
high as 62 mph. Decided to add Niobrara and the rest of the
Nebraska Panhandle into the High Wind Warning as subsidence behind
the front expected to continue. GFS 850mb winds expand east into
Dawes and Box Butte Counties of 50 to 55kts...so do expect them to
start seeing these strong winds as well. Updates have been sent.
&&
.SHORT TERM...(This evening through Sunday Night)
Issued at 102 PM MST Fri Jan 17 2020
Tonight...Inherited High Wind Warnings look to be in good shape
considering the latest model runs, with 60 to 70 mph winds aloft
being able to mix down to the surface with strong cold air advection
and downward momentum transfer, and with the progged 850/700 mb
Craig to Casper height gradients. We have also added the Rawlins and
Arlington zones to a Winter Weather Advisory through the night
primarily for blowing snow and reduced visibilities, based on
surface reports and webcam images.
Saturday...Strong winds should subside by late morning as the low and
mid level gradients relax. Temperatures will be colder in the wake
of the passing cold front.
Saturday night...Quiet night with minimal winds, compared to tonight.
Sunday...Northwest flow aloft and limited cloud cover should help to
produce a warming trend, with limited winds based on relatively weak
gradients.
.LONG TERM...(Monday through Friday)
Issued at 102 PM MST Fri Jan 17 2020
Monday...Even warmer with a ridge aloft over Wyoming and plenty of
sunshine, helping temperatures to warm into the 40s east of I-25,
with 30s west of I-25.
Tuesday...A fast moving shortwave trough aloft moves overhead,
producing minimal effects due to limited low and mid level moisture.
Continued mild with progged 700 mb temperatures near -3 Celsius.
Wednesday...A deeper and more potent shortwave trough aloft will
move over the region, along with its associated cold front, bringing
colder temperatures along with increasing chances for snow west of
Interstate 25, with the greatest areal coverage of snow over the
Snowy and Sierra Madre Ranges.
Thursday...Slowly drying out as the upper trough aloft moves over
the Central Plains states. A bit colder in the wake of the cold
front.
Friday...Continued dry under north northwest flow aloft with winds
likely increasing based on the low and mid level gradients.
Temperatures will start a slow warming trend.
&&
.AVIATION...(For the 00Z TAFS through 00Z Saturday evening)
Issued at 421 PM MST Fri Jan 17 2020
Latest visible satellite imagery shows a region of clearing and
subsidence across portions of Converse, Albany and western Platte
Counties which have coincided nicely with ongoing winds picking up
across these areas with gusts in the upper 50s and some just
starting to hit high wind criteria. Winds will be on the increase
through the evening and overnight period across all terminals.
Vicinity snow showers and ongoing IFR conditions at KRWL expected
to continue over the next several hours as bands to the west are
expected to move over the region affecting conditions.
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...
Issued at 102 PM MST Fri Jan 17 2020
No concerns based on projected winds and humidities.
&&
.CYS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WY...High Wind Warning until 5 AM MST Saturday for WYZ102-104-105-109-
110-113-115.
High Wind Warning until 11 AM MST Saturday for WYZ106>108-
116>119.
Winter Weather Advisory until 8 AM MST Saturday for WYZ109-110.
Winter Weather Advisory until 11 PM MST this evening for WYZ112-
114.
NE...High Wind Warning until 5 AM MST Saturday for NEZ002-003-021-095-
096.
High Wind Warning until 11 AM MST Saturday for NEZ019-020-054-
055.
&&
UPDATE...GCC
SHORT TERM...RUBIN
LONG TERM...RUBIN
AVIATION...WM
FIRE WEATHER...RUBINHazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Cheyenne WY 1241 PM MST Fri Jan 17 2020 NEZ019-020-054-055-WYZ104>110-113-115>119-181100- Scotts Bluff-Banner-Kimball-Cheyenne- Ferris/Seminoe/Shirley Mountains-Shirley Basin- Central Laramie Range and Southwest Platte County- East Platte County-Goshen County-Central Carbon County- North Snowy Range Foothills-Upper North Platte River Basin- Laramie Valley-South Laramie Range-South Laramie Range Foothills- Central Laramie County-East Laramie County- 1241 PM MST Fri Jan 17 2020 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of western Nebraska...south central Wyoming and southeast Wyoming. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A cold front will sweep across the area this afternoon with westerly winds expected become strong behind it. Wind gusts over 50 mph are expected over most of the area by late this afternoon and continuing tonight with some gusts over 65 mph particularly in wind-prone areas of southeast Wyoming. High Wind Warnings are in effect due to these expected winds. Areas of snow and blowing snow will affect Interstate 80 in Carbon and Albany Counties through tonight, including Rawlins, Arlington and Elk Mountain, with visibilities near zero at times. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY Gusty winds will continue saturday, strongest in the morning. After then the probability for widespread hazardous weather is expected to be low. .Spotter information statement... Spotter activation will not be needed. WYZ112-114-181100- Sierra Madre Range-Snowy Range- 1241 PM MST Fri Jan 17 2020 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of south central Wyoming. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT Snow is expected to fall over the area mainly today into this evening with snowfall of 5 to 8 inches expected. Strong westerly winds may create areas of blowing and drifting snow. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .Spotter information statement... Spotter activation will not be needed. NEZ002-003-021-095-096-WYZ101>103-111-181100- Dawes-Box Butte-Morrill-North Sioux-South Sioux- Converse County Lower Elevations-Niobrara County- North Laramie Range-Southwest Carbon County- 1241 PM MST Fri Jan 17 2020 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of western Nebraska...east central Wyoming...south central Wyoming and southeast Wyoming. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A cold front will sweep across the area this afternoon with westerly winds expected become strong behind it. Wind gusts over 50 mph are expected over most of the area by late this afternoon and continuing tonight. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY Gusty winds will persist on Saturday but should ease somewhat during the day. .Spotter information statement... Spotter activation will not be needed.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHEYENNE WY
446 PM MST FRI JAN 17 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0436 PM NON-TSTM WND GST 13 NE CENTENNIAL 41.44N 105.96W
01/17/2020 M58 MPH ALBANY WY MESONET
MESONET STATION WY26 12.6 NE CENTENNIAL
(WYDOT).
&&
WMPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHEYENNE WY
507 PM MST FRI JAN 17 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0440 PM NON-TSTM WND GST 9 SE BUFORD 41.04N 105.15W
01/17/2020 M59 MPH LARAMIE WY MESONET
LYNCHW UP204.
&&
CWPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHEYENNE WY
512 PM MST FRI JAN 17 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0440 PM NON-TSTM WND GST 15 ESE JAY EM 42.38N 104.10W
01/17/2020 M58 MPH GOSHEN WY MESONET
SHPCR1 UR346.
&&
CWPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHEYENNE WY
518 PM MST FRI JAN 17 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0506 PM NON-TSTM WND GST 12 WSW WARREN AF BASE 41.10N 105.07W
01/17/2020 M58 MPH LARAMIE WY MESONET
I80/US30 - OTTO.
&&
CWPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHEYENNE WY
540 PM MST FRI JAN 17 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0514 PM NON-TSTM WND GST 3 W VAN TASSELL 42.67N 104.16W
01/17/2020 M58 MPH NIOBRARA WY MESONET
WY60 - US20 - VAN TASSELL.
&&
CWPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHEYENNE WY
541 PM MST FRI JAN 17 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0520 PM NON-TSTM WND GST 3 W VAN TASSELL 42.67N 104.16W
01/17/2020 M60 MPH NIOBRARA WY MESONET
WY60 - US20 - VAN TASSELL.
&&
CWThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Scottsbluff RAWS site reported peak gust of 64 mph at 734 PM.
Sidney Nebraska ASOS reported these strong winds.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Nebraska in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Nebraska, January 2020
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: 867856, 867857.