A cold front swept across Wyoming and brought high winds to portions of the area. Across Northern Johnson County, Buffalo, Wyoming had several wind gusts to 60 mph.
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The episode as NWS RIW wrote it up.
A cold front swept across Wyoming and brought high winds to portions of the area. Across Northern Johnson County, Buffalo, Wyoming had several wind gusts to 60 mph. Snow also accompanied the high winds that brought difficult travel conditions.
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 24, 2:35 AM MST, 2 hours 56 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Riverton WY 235 AM MST Mon Feb 24 2020 .SHORT TERM...Today through Wednesday night A Pacific cold front will continue to cross the state during the early morning hours and be through the area by around 9 am. It is a fast mover, but does have some decent energy with it. As it entered the state, we had our first lightning strikes of the year near Yellowstone. There will be some snow ahead of it but the steady snow should be over by around 9 am as the front clears. For the most part, snowfall amounts should remain fairly light. There could be a few of those annoying snow bands that develop that could bring locally higher amounts, but these will be hard to pinpoint exactly. We will continue the Special Weather Statement to cover for some snow in spots for the morning commute. Some snow showers will continue in the west through the day but accumulations will be light. Another round of mainly light snow will be possible tonight across eastern areas as a system moves out of Montana. There has been a shift further to the east with it though, so the chance of accumulating snow has decreased with most of that east of the county warning area, mainly from Campbell County and eastward. The other, and more definitive threat, will be wind. There is plenty of wind aloft, as shown at a place like Mount Coffin where there was a wind gust to 90 mph. The models continue to show 50 to 60 knot wind barbs at 700 millibars. The biggest threat will be in Johnson County where the northwest flow / cold advection pattern along with a tight pressure gradient will bring some strong winds. At this is point, there looks to be two periods of main threat. One, early this morning with frontal passage. This could even occur in Sweetwater County. I can't rule out a stray gust to 60 mph, but this would be short lived and there will be a gradual decrease through the day. The second best threat will be tonight, mainly in northern Johnson County as the northern stream system passes to the east. Winds should begin to decrease for all areas by early Tuesday morning. High pressure will build into the area from west on Tuesday. Any leftover snow should shut off by noon with dry conditions from then into Wednesday. With light wind expected Tuesday into Wednesday, some inversions will likely reform in the Basins and keep temperatures chilly. Not bitterly cold though, since the air mass is not all that cold and the higher sun angle helping to modify the air mass somewhat. And with the inversion, we may see the fog monster crawl out his lair on one or more of the mornings. Another system will approach the area from the north and could bring some snow Wednesday night to northern Wyoming. This system is moisture starved so heavy snow is not expected at this time. .LONG TERM...Thursday through Monday A disturbance in the northwest flow will keep some chances of snow across the north Thursday. A ridge with dry conditions are expected Friday and Saturday. The main challenge both days will be high temperatures in the typical trapped basins/valleys as well as morning fog. Global models then have some snow developing over the western Wyoming Saturday night in the southwest flow ahead of a trough over the West. Models have this trough splitting/stretching out as it slowly pushes east across the Intermountain West/Rockies Sunday and Monday. The associated cold front right now is progged to push across the forecast area Sunday into Sunday night. As the front pulls across the area, there will be some chances of snow spilling east of the Divide. Chances of snow should end late Sunday night/Monday as the mean trough axis pulls east and/or the energy shifts north and south of the forecast area from the trough becoming more split/stretched out with time. At this time, models seem to be more bullish with precipitation amounts than what would be normally expected from the overall progged trough intensity. && .AVIATION...12Z Issuance Snow showers will occur in the western mountains today, decreasing after 06Z tonight. Mountains will be partially obscured with MVFR conditions near the mountains. Terminal sites in the west will be VFR for the most part today and tonight. KJAC will have period of MVFR conditions with lower clouds and snow showers at times. Expect a gusty wind at most places with the wind decreasing after 01Z. East of the divide, scattered snow showers will occur today and tonight as a weather system lingers over the region. Expect better snow shower coverage in the Bighorn mountains and from KBYG to KCPR. Areas of MVFR to IFR conditions will occur today and tonight. A gusty wind will be common today into the evening hours. .FIRE WEATHER... A weather system will bring snow showers as well as gusty to strong winds in portions of the area today. Relative humidity will remain above critical levels. Mixing and smoke dispersal will range from fair to poor in some of the protected basins to good to very good in the winter locations. && .RIW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... High Wind Warning until 8 AM MST Tuesday for WYZ010-011. && SHORT TERM...Hattings LONG TERM...Murrell AVIATION...Ross FIRE WEATHER...Hattings
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Riverton WY 240 AM MST Mon Feb 24 2020 WYZ001>020-022>030-251300- 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- 240 AM MST Mon Feb 24 2020 ...High Wind Warning for Johnson County Today and Tonight... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for Western and Central Wyoming. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight. Areas of snow will continue this morning, tapering to only snow showers in the west by afternoon. Strong to high winds are likely in Johnson County as well as portions of Sweetwater, Big Horn and Fremont Counties into tonight. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday. The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .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 232 AM MST Mon Feb 24 2020 WYZ001-012-013-023-024-241915- Yellowstone National Park-Teton and Gros Ventre Mountains- Jackson Hole-Star Valley-Salt River and Wyoming Ranges- Including the cities of Lake, Mammoth, Old Faithful, Jackson, Afton, Alpine, Star Valley Ranch, and Thayne 232 AM MST Mon Feb 24 2020 ...Snow showers continuing today... * WHAT...Snow showers. Additional accumulations generally 2 inches or less, but locally higher where snow bands set up. * WHERE...The Western Mountains, Jackson Valley and Star Valley. * WHEN...Through this afternoon. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Anticipate rapidly changing road conditions, including slick and snow covered roads, as well as poor visibility. WYZ019-025>030-241915- Green Mountains and Rattlesnake Range- Upper Green River Basin Foothills-Upper Green River Basin- South Lincoln County-Rock Springs and Green River-Flaming Gorge- East Sweetwater County- Including the cities of Jeffrey City, Pinedale, La Barge, Big Piney, Farson, Kemmerer, Cokeville, Rock Springs, Green River, and Wamsutter 232 AM MST Mon Feb 24 2020 ...Strong winds at times today... * WHAT...Gusty to strong winds. West to northwest 20 to 30 mph with gusts to 50 to 55 mph. * WHERE...Much of southern Wyoming. * WHEN...Through today. The strongest winds are expected this morning. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Local snow showers may bring reduced visibility in some locations. Travelers are urged to watch for strong cross winds, including along Interstate 80. WYZ020-022-241915- Natrona County Lower Elevations-Casper Mountain- Including the city of Casper 232 AM MST Mon Feb 24 2020 ...Occasional Snow this morning... * WHAT...Periods of snow. Accumulations generally 1 to 2 inches with locally higher amounts. Winds may gust up to 45 mph in wind prone areas. * WHERE...Natrona County * WHEN...Until around noon. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Anticipate rapidly changing road conditions, including slick and snow covered roads, as well as poor visibility. WYZ002>006-008-009-241915- Absaroka Mountains-Cody Foothills-North Big Horn Basin- Southwest Big Horn Basin-Southeast Big Horn Basin- Bighorn Mountains West-Bighorn Mountains Southeast- Including the cities of Clark, Cody, Meeteetse, Basin, Greybull, Lovell, Powell, Shell, Thermopolis, Ten Sleep, and Worland 232 AM MST Mon Feb 24 2020 ...Areas of snow and wind this morning... * WHAT...Snow showers and snow bands. Accumulations generally around an inch or less. However, some areas could see as much as 3 inches where snow banding sets up. Amounts could vary widely in short distances. Winds gusting up to 45 to 50 mph in the eastern Big Horn Basin. * WHERE...The Big Horn Basin, Absaroka and Big Horn Mountains. * WHEN...Snow through around 8 am, Strong Winds through tonight. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Anticipate rapidly changing road conditions, including slick and snow covered roads, as well as poor visibility in areas of snow and blowing snow.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The ASOS at the Buffalo, Wyoming airport had several wind gusts to 59 mph.
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: 878253.