High Wind in Wyoming, October 16 to 17, 2020

Name: High Wind in Wyoming, October 16 to 17, 2020
Start: 2020-10-16T06:14
End: 2020-10-17T13:55
Location: Wyoming

October 16 to 17, 2020 · NWS CYS · 8 events in 8 counties and zones

A fairly widespread high wind event occurred along the Interstate 80 Corridor in Southeast Wyoming 16 and 17 October.

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 CYS wrote it up.

A fairly widespread high wind event occurred along the Interstate 80 Corridor in Southeast Wyoming 16 and 17 October.

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 15, 4:19 PM MST, 13 hours 55 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Oct 15, 4:19 PM MST, 13 hours 55 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, North Snowy Range Foothills

When: October 16, 6:14 AM MST to October 17, 3:56 AM MST
Where: North Snowy Range Foothills forecast zone
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 41.675, -106.327 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Onset report of strong winds occurred at Arlington Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) site with a gust to 70 mph. Winds stayed up through the day and hit at numerous WYDOT sites through the day into the morning of 17 October. Peak wind gust of 82 mph reported at Cooper Cover WYDOT site on 16/2132.

High Wind, South Laramie Range Foothills

When: October 16, 9:25 AM MST to October 17, 1:55 PM MST
Where: South Laramie Range Foothills forecast zone
Measured: 63 kt (72 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 41.481, -105.207 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

EMKAYW Union Pacific Railroad site as well as Wyoming Department of Transportation site at Otto reported wind gusts in excess of 58 mph during this time.

High Wind, Central Laramie County

When: October 16, 9:40 AM MST to 10:42 PM MST
Where: Central Laramie County forecast zone
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 41.307, -104.690 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Bear Creek Wyoming Department of Transportation site reported wind gusts in excess of 58 MPH.

High Wind, South Laramie Range

When: October 16, 10:58 AM MST to October 17, 12:58 PM MST
Where: South Laramie Range forecast zone
Measured: 54 kt (62 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 sites at Vedauwoo, Lone Tree and Pumpkin Vine reported wind gusts in excess of 58 mph.

High Wind, Central Laramie Range and Southwest Platte County

When: October 16, 1:38 PM MST to 9:28 PM MST
Where: Central Laramie Range and Southwest Platte County forecast zone
Measured: 58 kt (67 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 41.698, -105.127 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Bordeaux Wyoming Department of Transportation site on Interstate 25 measured the reported wind gust.

High Wind, Central Carbon County

When: October 16, 2:21 PM MST to October 17, 2:07 AM MST
Where: Central Carbon County forecast zone
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 41.695, -106.931 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Sensor at Rawlins Municipal Airport reported wind gusts in excess of 60 mph.

High Wind, Upper North Platte River Basin

When: October 16, 7:36 PM MST to October 17, 12:44 AM MST
Where: Upper North Platte River Basin forecast zone
Measured: 63 kt (72 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 41.695, -106.931 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Skyline Wyoming Department of Transportation site reported peak wind of 73 mph. Winds above 60 mph through evening of 16 October.

High Wind, Laramie Valley

When: October 16, 8:52 PM MST to October 17, 1:36 PM MST
Where: Laramie Valley forecast zone
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 41.655, -105.724 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Quealy Dome Wyoming Department of Transportation sensor measured the reported wind gust. Laramie Airport ASOS (KLAR) also had gusts to 60 mph during this event.

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: 919214, 919224, 919226, 919223, 919225, 919218, 919220, 919222.