A tight pressure gradient and strong winds mixing to the surface ahead of an advancing cold front brought high winds to portions of central Wyoming. The wind also brought blowing and drifting snow that resulted in the closure of several roads for a time.
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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 tight pressure gradient and strong winds mixing to the surface ahead of an advancing cold front brought high winds to portions of central Wyoming. The wind also brought blowing and drifting snow that resulted in the closure of several roads for a time. The highest wind gusts recorded were 90 mph at Red Canyon in the Wind River Range and along Wyoming Boulevard, just south of Casper, Wyoming.
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 14, 4:53 AM MST, 2 hours 33 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Riverton WY 453 AM MST Fri Feb 14 2020 .SHORT TERM...(Today through Saturday night) Issued at 440 AM MST Fri Feb 14 2020 Mainly clear over the region early this morning with a few clouds in the NW. Fog and low clouds are occurring in the central Wind River basin as well in the central part of the Green River basin. Windy in the wind corridor of central WY with blowing and drifting snow occurring. A large spread of temperatures over the area from 10 below zero to mid 30s above zero. Forecast issues today will be the snow in the west and the blowing and drifting snow in the central zones. Current highlight for the blowing snow is on track per some webcams. The snow in the west will be on the light side for the most part and sub-advisory. The snow will taper off this evening with lingering snow in the higher mountain elevations through the night. The fog in the valleys will end by late morning. The rest of the region will be dry today and tonight. Windy in part of the south and central. Breezy in part of the west this afternoon due to the weather system passing through the region. High temps today will be in the 20s and 30s with a few lower 40s in the north. Lows tonight will range from zero to the upper teens with some colder valleys below zero once again. Saturday and Saturday night will be dry for most areas with breezy areas in the south and central. Some light snow will occur in the far west mountains Saturday and in the valleys later in the afternoon. Snow increases in the west Saturday night ahead of the next weather system that moves toward the Rockies. Winter highlights for west Saturday night through Sunday evening are looking more certain. For now a special weather statement addresses the situation. High temperatures Saturday will be in the 20s and 30s. .LONG TERM...(Sunday through Thursday) Issued at 440 AM MST Fri Feb 14 2020 The trough producing moist westerly flow across the area will continue moving eastward, with the associated cold front pushing across the region late Sunday through Monday. Sunday will see the snow spread across western Wyoming, with the heaviest snow expected during the day Sunday and then a slight decrease in coverage and intensity late Sunday night into Monday. Models are showing a good chance that areas east of the Divide may see some light snow Sunday night into Monday, but very little in accumulation is expected. The far west will see significant snowfall, and looks to be trending toward warning amounts. We will continue the SPS at this time, but expect highlights for this area over the next couple of shifts. Ahead of the cold front there will be some some strong west/southwest wind Saturday night into Sunday, especially in the Rock Springs to Casper wind corridor. Right now, not expecting high wind as the progged surface pressure gradient is not particularly tight. Once the cold front has moved through the region, expect below average temperatures Monday and Tuesday. Weak disturbances in the northwest/northerly flow could result in snow showers mainly in the northwest/northern mountains Tuesday. Dry conditions with a slow warming trend is expected Wednesday and Thursday. && .AVIATION...(For the 12Z TAFS through 12Z Saturday) Issued at 440 AM MST Fri Feb 14 2020 East of the Divide...KCOD/KCPR/KLND/KRIW/KWRL Terminals The first concern is fog. Fog has already developed at KRIW and around KLND due to the moist boundary layer. These areas of fog will persist into morning before increased mixing dissipates it. VFR conditions are expected after 17Z. The other concern will be significant blowing snow continuing around South Pass and Casper with a gusty to strong southwest wind. This blowing snow will likely be an issue for much of the day and may impact KCPR airport. Wind begins to decrease after sunset this evening. West of the Divide...KBPI/KJAC/KPNA/KRKS Terminals By mid to late morning, snow will begin breaking out across the far west with lower ceilings and increasing chances of snow in the afternoon. KJAC terminal will be the most impacted with periods of MVFR (ceilings) /IFR (vsby in snow) conditions expected this afternoon before tapering off after around 04Z Saturday. Have elected to go with mainly vicinity showers near KBPI and KPNA since most showers should remain over the mountains. Occasional to frequent mountain obscurations will be possible. A gusty wind will occur near KRKS before decreasing after around 05Z Saturday. Please see the Aviation Weather Center and/or CWSU ZDV and ZLC for the latest information on icing and turbulence forecasts. && .FIRE WEATHER... Issued AT 440 AM MST Fri Feb 14 2020 Snow will occur over the western mountains today into this evening. Areas of light snow will occur in the western valleys. Otherwise, dry over the rest of the region today and tonight. Breezy to windy over much of the south and central today into this evening. Saturday will be dry for most areas. Some light snow will continue in the western mountains at times. Heavier snow is expected in the west Saturday night into Sunday. && .RIW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Weather Advisory until 5 PM MST this afternoon for WYZ019- 020-022. Winter Weather Advisory until 9 PM MST this evening for WYZ015. && SHORT TERM...AR LONG TERM...Swanson AVIATION...Hattings FIRE WEATHER...AR
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Riverton WY 329 AM MST Fri Feb 14 2020 WYZ001>020-022>030-151200- 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- 329 AM MST Fri Feb 14 2020 ...Winter Weather Advisory for Blowing Snow across Southern Fremont County and Natrona County Today... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for Western and Central Wyoming. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight. Significant blowing snow is expected across southern Fremont County and much of Natrona County Today. This also includes the South Pass area. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday. Saturday night through Sunday night...Significant snow likely across the west. Some accumulating snow possible over the east Sunday night and Monday. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Weather spotters are encouraged to report significant weather conditions, according to standard operating procedures.
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Riverton WY 340 AM MST Fri Feb 14 2020 WYZ001-002-012-013-023>025-027-142300- Yellowstone National Park-Absaroka Mountains- Teton and Gros Ventre Mountains-Jackson Hole-Star Valley- Salt River and Wyoming Ranges-Upper Green River Basin Foothills- South Lincoln County- Including the cities of Lake, Mammoth, Old Faithful, Jackson, Afton, Alpine, Star Valley Ranch, Thayne, Pinedale, Kemmerer, and Cokeville 340 AM MST Fri Feb 14 2020 ...Significant Snow Saturday Night thru Sunday Night over Far Western Wyoming... This is a special weather statement from the National Weather Service Office in Riverton. * WHAT...Significant snow possible. Significant blowing snow is also expected in the mountains. * WHERE...Far western Wyoming. * SNOW AMOUNTS...Preliminary snowfall totals of 5 to 8 inches in the far west valleys. For the mountains, 10 to 20 inches is possible. * WHEN...Saturday night through Sunday night. The heaviest snow looks to occur during the predawn hours Sunday through the afternoon Sunday. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Please stay tuned for updates on this developing winter storm this weekend.
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Riverton WY 606 AM MST Fri Feb 14 2020 WYZ017-018-141700- Wind River Basin-Lander Foothills- Including the cities of Riverton, Shoshoni, and Lander 606 AM MST Fri Feb 14 2020 ...Fog this Morning... This is a special weather statement from the National Weather Service Office in Riverton. * WHAT...Fog. Visibility reduced to under one mile in many locations. Local visibility under one half mile. * WHERE...Wind River Basin including Riverton, Hudson, Lander and Shoshoni. * WHEN...Until late morning. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Reduce speed in areas of fog. Use low beam headlights.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A wind sensor along Highway 28 at Red Canyon recorded many hurricane force wind gusts, including a maximum of 90 mph. The strong winds brought blowing snow that forced the closure of South Pass for a time.
The Camp Creek RAWS reported a wind gust of 77 mph.
Strong winds blew across Natrona County. The maximum wind gusts were along Wyoming Boulevard just south of Casper, Wyoming, where a 90 mph wind gust was recorded.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Wyoming in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Wyoming, February 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: 877894, 877895, 877896.