Winter Storm and High Wind in Wyoming, November 13 to 14, 2020

Name: Winter Storm and High Wind in Wyoming, November 13 to 14, 2020
Start: 2020-11-13T04:10
End: 2020-11-14T21:35
Location: Wyoming

November 13 to 14, 2020 · NWS RIW · 14 events in 14 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 14 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: 14

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 RIW wrote it up.

A Pacific trough and ample moisture moved into the western mountains and brought heavy amounts of snow. The highest amount was reported at the Jackson Hole Ski Resort where 19 inches of new snow fell on top of the mountain. Other notable amounts included 12 inches in southwestern Yellowstone, 8 inches in the town of Jackson, Wyoming and 13 inches near Smoot, Wyoming in the Star Valley. In central Wyoming, strong mid level winds were forced to the ground by a strong jet stream. Winds gusted as high as 84 mph to the east of Casper in Natrona County, Wyoming. Other strong wind gusts included 69 mph at the Riverton, Wyoming airport, 77 mph near Lander, Wyoming and 64 mph at the Sweetwater County airport near Rock Springs, Wyoming.

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 Riverton, WY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Nov 12, 3:48 PM MST, 12 hours 22 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 12, 3:48 PM MST, 12 hours 22 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Nov 12, 2:20 PM MST, 13 hours 50 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

9 high wind, 5 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Natrona County Lower Elevations

When: November 13, 4:10 AM MST to November 14, 2:14 AM MST
Where: Natrona County Lower Elevations forecast zone
Measured: 73 kt (84 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 42.962, -106.798 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind gusts past 58 mph were recorded across much of Natrona County, Wyoming. The strongest gusts were 84 mph along Hat Six road east of Casper, Wyoming and 80 mph along Wyoming Boulevard south of Casper, Wyoming. At the Natrona County, Wyoming airport, a maximum wind gust of 61 mph was reported.

High Wind, Bighorn Mountains Southeast

When: November 13, 12:47 PM MST to 6:47 PM MST
Where: Bighorn Mountains Southeast forecast zone
Measured: 70 kt (81 mph) measured gust
Reported by: RAWS
Coordinates: 43.635, -107.022 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A maximum wind gust of 80 mph was recorded at the School House RAWS site.

Winter Storm, Yellowstone National Park

When: November 13, 1:00 PM MST to November 14, 12:00 PM MST
Where: Yellowstone National Park forecast zone
Reported by: SNOTEL
Coordinates: 44.228, -110.089 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy snow fell in portions of Yellowstone Park. The highest amount reported was 13 inches at the Lewis Lake SNOTEL site.

Winter Storm, Teton & Gros Ventre Mountains

When: November 13, 1:00 PM MST to November 14, 12:00 PM MST
Where: Teton & Gros Ventre Mountains forecast zone
Reported by: Park/Forest Service
Coordinates: 43.002, -109.948 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy snow fell in the Tetons. The highest amount reported was 19 inches at the top of the Jackson Hole, Wyoming ski resort.

High Wind, Green Mountains & Rattlesnake Range

When: November 13, 1:10 PM MST to 8:10 PM MST
Where: Green Mountains & Rattlesnake Range forecast zone
Measured: 64 kt (74 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 42.554, -108.102 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind gusts of 74 mph were reported at Beaver Rim along US 287 as well as the Fales Rock, Wyoming RAWS site.

High Wind, Cody Foothills

When: November 13, 2:46 PM MST to 3:46 PM MST
Where: Cody Foothills forecast zone
Measured: 59 kt (68 mph) measured gust
Reported by: RAWS
Coordinates: 44.521, -109.588 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A maximum wind gust of 68 mph was recorded at the Dry Creek RAWS site.

Winter Storm, Jackson Hole

When: November 13, 3:00 PM MST to November 14, 11:00 AM MST
Where: Jackson Hole forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 43.100, -110.623 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy snow fell in the Jackson Valley. Amounts generally ranged from 6 to 11 inches including 8 inches in the town of Jackson, Wyoming.

Winter Storm, Salt River & Wyoming Ranges

When: November 13, 3:00 PM MST to November 14, 12:00 PM MST
Where: Salt River & Wyoming Ranges forecast zone
Reported by: SNOTEL
Coordinates: 42.516, -110.286 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy snow fell in portions of the Salt and Wyoming Ranges. The highest amount reported was 12 inches at the Spring Creek and Triple Peak SNOTEL sites.

Winter Storm, Star Valley

When: November 13, 3:00 PM MST to November 14, 12:00 PM MST
Where: Star Valley forecast zone
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 42.264, -110.656 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy snow fell in portions of the Star Valley. The highest amount reported was 13 inches near Smoot, Wyoming.

High Wind, Lander Foothills

When: November 13, 3:42 PM MST to 7:47 PM MST
Where: Lander Foothills forecast zone
Measured: 67 kt (77 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 43.041, -108.630 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High winds occurred in the Lander, Wyoming Foothills. Maximum wind gusts were 77 mph in Sinks Canyon and 59 mph at the Lander, Wyoming airport.

High Wind, Northeast Johnson County

When: November 13, 7:37 PM MST to November 14, 5:56 AM MST
Where: Northeast Johnson County forecast zone
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 44.039, -106.585 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Along Interstate 25, several wind gusts over 58 mph were recorded, including a maximum gist of 69 mph.

High Wind, Rock Springs & Green River

When: November 14, 2:16 AM MST to 2:34 AM MST
Where: Rock Springs & Green River forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 41.660, -108.879 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind gusts of 58 to 60 mph were reported along Interstate 80 in the vicinity of Green River, Wyoming.

High Wind, East Sweetwater County

When: November 14, 2:44 AM MST to 3:44 AM MST
Where: East Sweetwater County forecast zone
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 41.660, -108.879 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A wind gust of 64 mph was recorded at the Sweetwater County, Wyoming airport.

High Wind, Wind River Basin

When: November 14, 6:12 AM MST to 9:35 PM MST
Where: Wind River Basin forecast zone
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 43.041, -108.630 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Several wind gusts past 58 mph were recorded at the Riverton, Wyoming airport, including a maximum gust of 69 mph.

What these are

High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.
Winter Storm: A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Wyoming in 2020 Every state in 2020 This day in weather history Warnings in Wyoming, November 2020

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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 923870, 923875, 923864, 923865, 923869, 923874, 923866, 923867, 923868, 923876, 923873, 923877, 923871, 923872.