Wyoming, 2020

High Wind in Wyoming, October 13 to 14, 2020

October 13 to 14, 2020 · NWS RIW · 8 events in 8 counties and zones

A cold front dropped across Wyoming. The combination of a tight pressure gradient and strong mid level winds mixing to the surface brought high winds to many areas.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 8 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
8

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 cold front dropped across Wyoming. The combination of a tight pressure gradient and strong mid level winds mixing to the surface brought high winds to many areas. The highest gusts were in the higher elevations where hurricane force gusts were reported in the Absarokas, Wind River Range and the Green Mountains. In the lower elevations, gusts over 58 mph were reported in portions of Johnson, Natrona, Fremont, Sweetwater and Sublette Counties, with the highest gusts including 65 mph at Hiland, Wyoming and 67 mph east of Wamsutter, Wyoming, along Interstate 80.

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 Oct 13, 4:49 PM MST, 2 hours 47 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Oct 13, 4:49 PM MST, 2 hours 47 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Oct 13, 12:58 PM MST, 6 hours 38 minutes before
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In the hours before

Special weather statement, Oct 13, 5:38 PM MST, 1 hour 58 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

8 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Natrona County Lower Elevations

When
October 13, 7:36 PM MST to October 14, 1:56 PM MST
Where
Natrona County Lower Elevations forecast zone
Measured
56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Department of Highways
Coordinates
42.962, -106.798 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There were numerous reports of high winds in Natrona County, Wyoming. Some notable gusts included 65 mph at Hiland, Wyoming and 62 mph along Hat Six Road.

High Wind, Green Mountains & Rattlesnake Range

When
October 13, 7:50 PM MST to October 14, 8:50 AM MST
Where
Green Mountains & Rattlesnake Range forecast zone
Measured
72 kt (83 mph) measured gust
Reported by
RAWS
Coordinates
42.554, -108.102 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Camp Creek RAWS recorded a maximum wind gust of 83 mph.

High Wind, Wind River Mountains East

When
October 13, 8:01 PM MST to 11:01 PM MST
Where
Wind River Mountains East forecast zone
Measured
73 kt (84 mph) measured gust
Reported by
RAWS
Coordinates
42.904, -109.273 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Wind River RAWS site had a maximum wind gust of 84 mph.

High Wind, Absaroka Mountains

When
October 14, 6:28 AM MST to 8:46 AM MST
Where
Absaroka Mountains forecast zone
Measured
68 kt (78 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Department of Highways
Coordinates
43.760, -108.887 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The wind sensor along the Chief Joseph Highway had sustained winds over 50 mph for two hours with a maximum wind gust of 78 mph.

High Wind, Upper Green River Basin

When
October 14, 8:34 AM MST
Where
Upper Green River Basin forecast zone
Measured
51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
42.433, -109.520 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A 58 mph wind gust was reported at the airport at Big Piney, Wyoming.

High Wind, East Sweetwater County

When
October 14, 11:18 AM MST to 2:38 PM MST
Where
East Sweetwater County forecast zone
Measured
58 kt (67 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Department of Highways
Coordinates
41.660, -108.879 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There were numerous high wind gusts along Interstate 80. Some notable gusts included 67 mph at Continental Divide and 62 mph at Bitter Creek.

High Wind, Wind River Basin

When
October 14, 11:40 AM MST to 12:12 PM MST
Where
Wind River Basin forecast zone
Measured
51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
43.041, -108.630 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A wind gust of 59 mph was reported at the Riverton, Wyoming airport.

High Wind, Northeast Johnson County

When
October 14, 12:22 PM MST to 12:58 PM MST
Where
Northeast Johnson County forecast zone
Measured
56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Department of Highways
Coordinates
44.039, -106.585 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The WYDOT weather sensor at Indian Creek along Interstate 90 recorded a maximum wind gust of 64 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.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Wyoming in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings 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: 922592, 922591, 922589, 922588, 922596, 922594, 922595, 922590.