North Snowy Range Foothills measured high winds beginning late on the 19th through midday on the 21st while much of the remaining areas across southeastern Wyoming did not observe their high winds until the 20th. Several locations had gusts measuring into the 70 and even 80 mph range.
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.
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.
The episode as NWS CYS wrote it up.
North Snowy Range Foothills measured high winds beginning late on the 19th through midday on the 21st while much of the remaining areas across southeastern Wyoming did not observe their high winds until the 20th. Several locations had gusts measuring into the 70 and even 80 mph range. Wyoming Department of Transportation enacted area travel restrictions to light, high profile vehicles.
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 Jan 19, 2:20 PM MST, 5 hours 30 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Cheyenne WY
Issued by National Weather Service Riverton WY
220 PM MST Tue Jan 19 2021
.SHORT TERM...(This evening through Wednesday)
Issued at 205 PM MST Tue Jan 19 2021
Mostly clear skies this afternoon after the latest shortwave
trough moved to the southeast over the plains early this morning.
Decent northwest wind continues this afternoon from east-central
WY into western Nebraska behind the trough. And an amazingly
relatively light wind day from Rawlins to Cheyenne due to the weak
pressure gradient. Clear skies will continue overnight and allow
temperatures to drop well below freezing across the forecast area.
The surface pressure gradient however will strengthen as high
pressure builds over SW WY and decreases over the northern plains.
As a result, southwest to west winds will increase beginning this
evening and continuing through early Thursday morning. High wind
warnings have been issued for much of southeast WY, with gusts
around 60 mph expected at the lower elevations, and gusts 70 to 80
mph possible in the typical wind prone areas. These strong winds
will severely impact travel on I80 and I25 through Thursday
morning. Skies will be mostly sunny, with clouds moving in from
the west and southwest Wednesday afternoon. Some models are
suggesting light showers over the Sierra Madres Wednesday night. A
weak shortwave over the NW plains in northwest flow will shift
the wind to the WNW from east-central WY into western NE Wednesday
afternoon. High clouds will also start streaming over the area in
stronger northwest flow Wednesday night into Thursday.
.LONG TERM...(Thursday through Tuesday)
Issued at 215 PM MST Tue Jan 19 2021
As surface high pressure slides down along the east side of the
Rockies Thursday morning, winds east of the mountains will become
more northerly. However, the relaxed surface pressure gradient
will decrease the west to southwest flow over SE WY. A shortwave
trough in the northwest flow is expected to settle along a
boundary from NW WY to central Nebraska, with weak forcing
indicating that light snow will develop late Thursday night
through late Friday morning from east-central WY into NW Nebraska.
Very weak high pressure then shuts off the precipitation for only
6-12 hours Friday before southwest flow increases ahead of an
approaching trough from the southwest US. Moisture will quickly
stream northeastward late Friday, bringing a chance of snow to
the SE WY mountain Friday night. A northern shortwave trough then
moves from Montana into the plains, helping focus precipitation
from northern into SE WY on Saturday. Current forecast has snow
for most of the area through early Sunday morning. Not certain on
amounts at this time, but 1 to 3 inches at the lower elevations is
possible. With the surface low over east-central Colorado moving
into Kansas late Saturday, winds will shift to the north and
bringing in colder air for the rest of the weekend. Skies will
clear somewhat on Sunday with southwest wind starting to return.
Another trough moving eastward through the Great Basin will
bring another chance of snow Tuesday.
&&
.AVIATION...(For the 00Z TAFS through 00Z Thursday)
Issued at 415 PM MST Tue Jan 19 2021
VFR conditions will prevail across the area. Light westerly winds
this evening will increase overnight, especially across the higher
terrain in SE WY, where winds of 25 kts sustained and gusts to 35
kts are expected. Wednesday morning, gusty WNW winds of 25 to 40 kts
will overspread the NE panhandle as well, and the wind-prone areas
of southeastern WY could see gusts of 50 to 60 kts. Winds will begin
to decrease Wednesday evening.
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...
Issued at 220 PM MST Tue Jan 19 2021
An active weather pattern is setting up for the next few days.
First, high winds return to much of the area starting tonight and
lasting through Thursday morning. Strong west winds will produce
gusts of 50 to 75 mph in some areas, with breezy to windy
conditions elsewhere. As a result, temperatures will warm
Wednesday afternoon east of the mountains into the 50s. Clouds
will return early Thursday morning with some light snow possible
late Thursday night into Friday morning. Heavier snow is expected
with a stronger storm system late Friday night through early
Sunday morning.
&&
.CYS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WY...High Wind Warning from 5 PM this afternoon to 11 AM MST Thursday
for WYZ106-110-116-117.
High Wind Warning from 8 PM this evening to 5 AM MST Thursday
for WYZ104-105-109-115.
High Wind Warning from 11 PM this evening to 11 AM MST Thursday
for WYZ107-108-118-119.
NE...None.
&&
SHORT TERM...McDonald
LONG TERM...McDonald
AVIATION...KP
FIRE WEATHER...McDonaldHazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Cheyenne WY Issued by National Weather Service Riverton WY 144 PM MST Tue Jan 19 2021 WYZ106-110-116-117-201300- Central Laramie Range and Southwest Platte County- North Snowy Range Foothills-South Laramie Range- South Laramie Range Foothills- 144 PM MST Tue Jan 19 2021 ...High Wind Warning in Effect 5 PM Tuesday until 11 AM Thursday... This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of south central Wyoming and southeast Wyoming. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT West winds will increase this evening with gusts up to 60 mph possible. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY West winds will further increase Wednesday, with the strongest wind occurring from around sunrise Wednesday through Wednesday night. Gusts of 60 to 70 mph with local gusts of 80 mph are possible. This will create hazardous travel on portions of I-80 and I-25 into Thursday morning. There will be a high risk of vehicle blow overs. The chance for accumulating snow will return late Friday into early Sunday. .Spotter information statement... Spotters are encouraged to report wind gusts and any damage beginning Tuesday night and continuing through Thursday morning. WYZ104-105-109-115-201300- Ferris/Seminoe/Shirley Mountains-Shirley Basin- Central Carbon County-Laramie Valley- 144 PM MST Tue Jan 19 2021 ...High Wind Warning in Effect 8 PM Tuesday until 5 AM Thursday... This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of south central Wyoming and southeast Wyoming. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT Southwest to west winds will increase late this evening with gusts over 40 mph possible. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY West wind will further increase Wednesday, with the strongest winds expected from sunrise Wednesday through Wednesday evening. Gusts of 55 to 65 mph can be expected. This will create hazardous travel on portions of I-80 around Laramie into early Thursday morning. There will be a risk of vehicle blow overs. The chance for accumulating snow will return late Friday into early Sunday. .Spotter information statement... Spotters are encouraged to report wind gusts and any damage beginning Tuesday night and continuing through Thursday morning. NEZ002-003-019>021-054-055-095-096-WYZ101>103-111>114-201300- Dawes-Box Butte-Scotts Bluff County-Banner County-Morrill- Kimball County-Cheyenne-North Sioux-South Sioux- Converse County Lower Elevations-Niobrara County- North Laramie Range-Southwest Carbon County-Sierra Madre Range- Upper North Platte River Basin-Snowy Range- 144 PM MST Tue Jan 19 2021 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of panhandle Nebraska...western Nebraska...east central Wyoming...south central Wyoming and southeast Wyoming. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY West to northwest winds will increase Wednesday with gusts around 40 mph possible. The chance for accumulating snow will return late Friday into early Sunday. .Spotter information statement... Spotter activation will not be needed. WYZ107-108-118-119-201300- East Platte County-Goshen County-Central Laramie County- East Laramie County- 144 PM MST Tue Jan 19 2021 ...High Wind Warning in Effect 11 PM Tuesday until 11 AM Thursday... This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of southeast Wyoming. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT West winds will increase after midnight tonight with gusts up to 40 mph. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY West wind will further increase Wednesday, with the strongest winds expected from sunrise Wednesday through Wednesday evening. Gusts of 55 to 65 mph can be expected. This will create hazardous travel on portions of I-25 from Wheatland to Cheyenne into early Thursday morning. There will be a risk of vehicle blow overs. The chance for accumulating snow will return late Friday into early Sunday. .Spotter information statement... Spotters are encouraged to report wind gusts and any damage beginning Tuesday night and continuing through Thursday morning. McDonald
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
8 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Camp Creek sensor located four miles west of Muddy Gap measured the reported wind gust.
Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) sensor along Interstate 80 at Arlington measured the reported wind gust. Several other WYDOT sensors along the interstate measured high wind gusts as well resulting in restricted travel closure for light, high profile vehicles.
Wyoming Department of Transportation sensor along Interstate 25 at Bordeaux or nine miles south of Wheatland measured the reported wind gust.
Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) sensor along Interstate 80 at mile post 353 or ten miles west-southwest of Cheyenne measured the reported wing gust. Several other WYDOT sensors and a couple Union Pacific Railroad sensors also measured high wind gusts during this event.
Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) sensor along Wyoming State Highway 210 at Wildcat Trail or seven miles northeast of Buford measured the reported wind gust. Several other WYDOT sensors and Union Pacific Railroad sensors measured high wind gusts during the period as well including along Interstate 80.
Cheyenne Airport sensor measured the reported wind gust. The AWOS sensor at Francis E Warren Air Force Base measured high winds along with the Wyoming Department of Transportation sensor along Interstate 25 at Bear Creek or eight miles south of Chugwater.
Wyoming Department of Transportation sensor along Interstate 80 at Quealy Dome or fourteen miles northeast of Centennial measured the reported wind gust.
Wyoming Department of Transportation sensor along Interstate 25 at Coleman or thirteen miles south of Glendo measured the reported wind gust.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Wyoming in 2021Every state in 2021This day in weather historyWarnings in Wyoming, January 2021
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: 931904, 931925, 931905, 931918, 931921, 931915, 931922, 931908.