High Wind in Wyoming, October 13 to 14, 2020

Name: High Wind in Wyoming, October 13 to 14, 2020
Start: 2020-10-13T06:14
End: 2020-10-14T17:18
Location: Wyoming

October 13 to 14, 2020 · NWS CYS · 11 events in 11 counties and zones

A strong wind event was felt across most of southeastern Wyoming. Wind gusts in excess of 60 mph were measured by multiple sites along Interstate 80 and 25 as well as at the Cheyenne, Laramie and Rawlins Airports.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 11 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

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Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
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Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 11

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 CYS wrote it up.

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 Cheyenne, WY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Oct 12, 1:46 PM MST, 16 hours 28 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Oct 12, 1:46 PM MST, 16 hours 28 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Cheyenne WY
246 PM MDT Mon Oct 12 2020

.SHORT TERM...(This evening through Wednesday)
Issued at 206 PM MDT Mon Oct 12 2020

The main concern with this forecast package will be the Red Flag
conditions and high wind potential.

Latest water vapor loop was showing lots of mountain wave activity across
the area which is resulting in a very windy day. There is also a
hint of subtle shortwave moving through central Wyoming which is
resulting in some cloud cover, but not much in the way of
precipitation according the RIW radar loop. We are a bit concerned
that high winds in Arlington and Bordeaux may last a bit longer
into the evening based a decent height gradients. However, we will
see some upper level ridging building into the northern
Plains/Rockies this evening which will tend to weaken the
gradients. As a result, we are keeping the High Wind Warning going
in the Arlington area through 06z. The rest of forecast zones we
will let the High Wind Warning expire at 00Z.

Weak upper level ridging will build into the area tomorrow which
will provide a bit milder day with lots of sunshine. This will
induce good mixing which will favor a very dry air mass and breezy
conditions.

Digging jet energy combined with a deepening shortwave across the
northern Plains will build south across the area Tuesday night
and Wednesday. This will cause another round of high winds for
the area. The main question will be the timing of the back door
cold front. If this front moves through the Nebraska panhandle
quicker then it may stunt the high wind potential in that area.
Although, confidence is growing for the high wind potential across
southeast Wyoming. In fact, winds may really begin to ramp up
across Arlington and Bordeaux late Tuesday night. There is some
question on how much mountain wave activity will be in place on
Tuesday night which may spill into the Wyoming Plains. Our
confidence is pretty low at this point on Tuesday night, but our
confidence does begin to boost for the Wyoming Plains through the
day on Wednesday when we will see deeper mixing, steep lapse rates
and adiabatic downslope flow before the frontal passage.
Therefore, we went ahead and issued a High Wind Watch from 03Z-21Z
on Wednesday. High temperatures will occur Wednesday morning in
the 50s and 60s, then slowly fall through the afternoon.

.LONG TERM...(Wednesday Night through Sunday) Issued at 345 AM
MDT Mon Oct 12 2020

The fast west to northwest flow aloft will continue through Thursday
before shifting east Friday and Saturday as a upper ridge moves into
the western CONUS. The 00Z GFS/NAM prog 700mb winds to increase from
45-55 kt Tuesday afternoon to 65-75 kt Tuesday night over much of
southeast WY. GFS 700/850mb height gradients likewise increase to
65-75 meters. The local in-house high wind probabilities at Bordeaux
peak near 70 percent between 06Z and 12Z Wednesday, and near 12
percent at Cheyenne at 18Z Wednesday. High wind headlines may be
issued as early as tonight for much of southeast WY including the
wind prone areas.

Scattered rain and snow showers will develop along and behind the
front Wednesday night and linger into early Thursday morning. QPF
amounts will be up to two-tenths of an inch. Unseasonably cool
temperatures are forecast Thursday with highs only in the 40s to
lower 50s, with 30s for the higher terrain.

Friday and Saturday will be dry and milder with breezy westerly winds.
Another cold front will push southeast through the CWA by Saturday
evening. Scattered rain and snow showers will occur along and behind
the front through early Sunday morning. High temperatures Sunday
will be near to slightly below seasonal normals.

&&

.AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Tuesday afternoon)
Issued at 1127 AM MDT Mon Oct 12 2020

VFR conditions expected to persist under windy conditions this
afternoon. KRWL and KCYS have seen reports of over 50 kt gusts
with upper 30s and low 40 kt gusts in the Panhandle. Winds will
eventually diminish overall after 00z with passing of shortwave
feature as some sites in the Panhandle will return to fairly light
winds around 10 kt. Diurnal increase in winds during daylight
hours Tuesday.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...
Issued at 206 PM MDT Mon Oct 12 2020

Critical fire weather conditions will be in place across the area
during the next couple of days due to weak upper level ridging in
place. This combined with mixing heights around 6 to 8kft and a
very dry air mass will allow for gusty winds tomorrow. The highest
potential for Red Flag conditions will be across 309, 310 and
313. These gusty winds may drop off at sunset tomorrow for a brief
time before picking up again late Tuesday night into Wednesday.
Good humidity recoveries are expected tonight with values ranging
from 55 to 65 percent, but poor humidity recoveries are expected
on Tuesday night ahead of the digging shortwave in the northern
plains.

&&

.CYS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WY...Red Flag Warning until 6 PM MDT this evening for WYZ310.

     High Wind Warning until 6 PM MDT this evening for WYZ101-104>107-
     109-110-115>119.

NE...Red Flag Warning until 6 PM MDT this evening for NEZ313.

&&

SHORT TERM...REC
LONG TERM...MAJ
AVIATION...WM
FIRE WEATHER...REC

Hazardous weather outlook, Oct 12, 2:48 PM MST, 15 hours 26 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

11 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, North Snowy Range Foothills

When: October 13, 6:14 AM MST to October 14, 5:18 PM MST
Where: North Snowy Range Foothills forecast zone
Measured: 72 kt (83 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 41.675, -106.327 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) sensor at Cooper Cove or seven miles east-southeast of Arlington along Interstate 80 measured the reported wind gust. All WYDOT sensors in the zone measured high wind gusts during the event.

High Wind, Ferris/Seminoe/Shirley Mountains

When: October 13, 2:50 PM MST to October 14, 12:50 PM MST
Where: Ferris/Seminoe/Shirley Mountains forecast zone
Measured: 72 kt (83 mph) measured gust
Reported by: RAWS
Coordinates: 41.695, -106.931 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Camp Creek sensor located four miles west of Muddy Gap measured the reported wind gust.

High Wind, Central Carbon County

When: October 13, 3:54 PM MST to October 14, 3:44 PM MST
Where: Central Carbon County forecast zone
Measured: 57 kt (66 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 41.695, -106.931 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wyoming Department of Transportation sensor at Walcott Junction or fifteen miles east of Sinclair along Interstate 80 measured the reported wind gust. Several other sensors including Rawlins Airport ASOS had measured gusts over 58 mph.

High Wind, East Platte County

When: October 13, 10:48 PM MST to October 14, 4:00 AM MST
Where: East Platte County forecast zone
Measured: 65 kt (75 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 42.133, -104.966 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wyoming Department of Transportation sensor at Coleman or thirteen miles south of Glendo along Interstate 25 measured the reported wind gust.

High Wind, South Laramie Range

When: October 13, 11:32 PM MST to October 14, 3:24 PM MST
Where: South Laramie Range forecast zone
Measured: 63 kt (72 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 41.481, -105.207 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) sensor at Wildcat Trail or seven miles northeast of Buford along Wyoming Highway 210 measured the reported wind gust. Several other WYDOT sensors along Interstate 80 measured wind gusts in excess of 60 mph.

High Wind, Converse County Lower Elevations

When: October 14, 12:02 AM MST to 1:40 AM MST
Where: Converse County Lower Elevations forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 42.972, -105.507 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wyoming Department of Transportation sensor at Deer Creek or one mile south of Glenrock along Interstate 25 measured the reported wind gust. A Citizen Weather Observer Program site five miles west-southwest of Douglas also measured a peak wind gust of 60 mph.

High Wind, Laramie Valley

When: October 14, 2:06 AM MST to 2:08 PM MST
Where: Laramie Valley forecast zone
Measured: 72 kt (83 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 41.655, -105.724 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wyoming Department of Transportation sensor at Quealy Dome or fourteen miles northeast of Centennial along Interstate 80 measured the reported wind gust. The Laramie Airport ASOS also measured a 70 mph wind gust during this event.

High Wind, South Laramie Range Foothills

When: October 14, 8:04 AM MST to 3:48 PM MST
Where: South Laramie Range Foothills forecast zone
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 41.481, -105.207 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wyoming Department of Transportation sensor at Otto or sixteen miles west-southwest of Cheyenne along Interstate 80 measured the reported wind gust. Several other sensors along Interstate 80 and 25 also measured wind gusts in excess of 60 mph.

High Wind, Central Laramie County

When: October 14, 8:45 AM MST to 3:25 PM MST
Where: Central Laramie County forecast zone
Measured: 62 kt (71 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 41.307, -104.690 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cheyenne Airport sensor measured the reported wind gust. The sensor at Francis E. Warren Air Force Base also measured a wind gust of 59 mph.

High Wind, Upper North Platte River Basin

When: October 14, 9:14 AM MST to 4:16 PM MST
Where: Upper North Platte River Basin forecast zone
Measured: 58 kt (67 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 41.695, -106.931 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wyoming Department of Transportation sensor at Skyline or twelve miles east-southeast of Encampment along Wyoming Highway 230 measured the reported wind gust.

High Wind, Shirley Basin

When: October 14, 12:15 PM MST
Where: Shirley Basin forecast zone
Measured: 54 kt (62 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 41.675, -106.327 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Union Pacific Railroad sensor located two miles east-southeast of Medicine Bow measured the reported wind gust.

What these are

High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

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, October 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 919202, 919195, 919199, 919197, 919217, 919194, 919210, 919219, 919221, 919204, 919196.