Strong mid level winds mixed to the surface and brought high wind to portions of central and southern Wyoming. The strongest wind was in the Wind River Range where winds gusted as high as 92 mph at South Pass.
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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 RIW wrote it up.
Strong mid level winds mixed to the surface and brought high wind to portions of central and southern Wyoming. The strongest wind was in the Wind River Range where winds gusted as high as 92 mph at South Pass. Wind gusts over 60 mph were also reported at Crowheart in Fremont County and at the Rock Springs airport in Sweetwater County.
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 May 18, 9:34 PM MST, 3 hours 27 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Riverton WY 1034 PM MDT Wed May 18 2022 .SHORT TERM...This Afternoon through Thursday Night Issued at 142 PM MDT Wed May 18 2022 A more zonal flow pattern, with west-northwest flow and flat ridging aloft, will be in place over the region this afternoon. A dry cold front has quickly moved through northern portions this morning and has moved through Casper at 930am this morning. Wind gusts near 40 mph occurred at Buffalo Airport between 7 and 9 am, indicative of the fropa. The front is now forecasted to stall in Natrona County and along southern portions of the Bighorn Basin. The front is still expected to quickly wash out this afternoon, as west-northwest winds increase over areas east of the Divide. Drier air is accompanying the front as well, with dewpoints now in the 20s to near 30 degrees across the north. Drier air already infiltrated across the southern half of the CWA last night. West to northwest wind with gusts of 30 to 40 mph expected this afternoon. Humidity values will be in the teens in the central basins and Natrona County, as a result of dry air. Values will be critical in the lower teens to 10 percent across the south and southern portions of Fremont and Natrona counties. A Rangeland Fire Danger statement is in effect across the southern counties and Fremont and Natrona counties this afternoon and evening as a result of these elevated fire weather conditions. Isolated rain showers will develop over far northwest portions late this afternoon into the evening, as the next storm system approaches. These showers will increase this evening, becoming likely by midnight. Snow levels will gradually fall from 9000 to 8000 ft tonight. Winds increase over the western and northern mountains as a result of the proximity of the right front quadrant of the supporting jet, with the stronger winds occurring over the Absaroka and Wind River Mountains. Will upgrade the High Wind Watch today and push the start of the Warning closer to midnight. Winds also increase over the west and the Wind Corridor after midnight, as the storm continues to edge toward the southeast. The associated cold front will enter the Bighorn Basin and northern Johnson County by 12Z Thursday. This front will weaken the winds near Clark and Chief Joseph, as they turn more northerly. Rain and snow showers will be confined to western and far northern portions by this time,with snow levels generally at 9000 ft. These levels will quickly drop through the morning hours behind the front, ranging between 5500 and 6500 across the north and 6500 to 7000 ft in the Jackson and Star Valleys and near Dubois. Winds over the Wind Corridor remain gusty overnight tonight, with gusts of 25 to 35 mph. Similar gusts will occur in the Jackson Valley, as those winds increase. Otherwise, west to northwest winds will increase across the area after sunrise Thursday morning, with gusts of 30 to 40 mph being widespread across central and southern portions by 14Z. These winds will continue to increase through the rest of the morning, with gusts of 40 to 60 mph common across the aforementioned areas. The influence of the front will be confined to Johnson and Natrona counties Thursday morning, with the west-northwest winds finally working their way into the Casper area by early afternoon. High wind criteria is not expected due to the wind direction, but gusts over 40 mph will still occur. Showers will continue across western portions Thursday, with a good shot for wetting precipitation. Showers, with snow mixed in, will also occur across Johnson and northern Natrona counties behind the front Thursday. Winds gradually subside Thursday evening, however, northwest wind with gusts of 35 to 40 mph will continue over the Bighorn Basin and northern Johnson County. This is due to a secondary front that will have a stronger push of colder air behind it. This will be the airmass that keeps highs in the 40s Friday and overnight lows Friday night in the 20s. Snow showers will be possible across Natrona County Thursday night, with additional showers developing over far northwestern portions. Snowfall accumulations are expected to be minor. .LONG TERM...Friday through Wednesday Issued at 142 PM MDT Wed May 18 2022 Friday through Sunday will be characterized by continued cyclonic flow aloft leading to cool and unsettled weather. Friday finds a 110+ kt jet stream stretched southwest to northeast across the region. Channeled vorticity and mid-level moisture combine with the jet to induce widespread showers Friday, especially over the northern and western mountains. Unseasonably cold temperatures Friday leads to the potential for accumulating snow above 7500 feet MSL. Daytime highs will generally be only in the 40s over the lower elevations, some 15F-20F below normal. The jet drifts to our south and east by the end of the day, so the showers gradually decrease through the evening. The amount of clearing Friday night will determine how chilly overnight lows get. Many lower elevation locales will bottom out in the mid 20s to around freezing. The loss of additional cloud cover could drop these another 2F or 3F degrees. Saturday and Sunday favor orographic showers over the northwest and northern mountains with a slight chance of light rain showers over lower elevations of the north. Temperatures gradually warm each day, but daytime highs will remain below normal both days. There does appear to be the potential for a more organized shortwave Sunday afternoon and night, but at this range a shift of six hours could easily alter the forecast. Challenges then begin to emerge early next week as the broad trough and cyclonic flow shifts east Sunday night into Monday. Deterministic models lead to little confidence in the outcome given model differences, while cluster analyses show more of a zonal to slightly west-northwest upper-level flow pattern. Overall, the blended model forecast sides with the cluster solutions, leading to a warming and drying trend Monday through Wednesday. The northwest mountains would be the most likely location for scattered showers given favorable orographics in westerly flow aloft. An afternoon westerly breeze returns to southern Wyoming into Natrona County Tuesday and Wednesday. && .AVIATION...For the 06Z TAFS through 06Z Friday Issued at 1030 PM MDT Wed May 18 2022 West of the Divide...KBPI/KJAC/KPNA/KRKS Terminals Wind remains the primary hazard for the next 24 hours. Wind speeds increase between 14Z-16Z/Thursday as a trough and associated cold front pushes southeast across the forecast area. Gusts 25-35 kts develop between 14Z-16Z/Thursday. Afternoon gusts crank up to 30-42 kts, with the highest gusts at KRKS, KBPI, and KPNA. VFR conditions prevail throughout, but a band of showers with the frontal push may bring a brief period of MVFR or low-end VFR conditions. The most likely candidates would be KJAC between 14Z and 18Z and KBPI and KPNA between 16Z and 20Z. The front pushes south to KRKS during the mid to late afternoon and continued VCSH. Wind speeds decrease between 02Z-04Z/Friday and VFR conditions prevail. Frequent mountain top obscurations until 02Z/Friday. East of the Divide...KCOD/KCPR/KLND/KRIW/KWRL Terminals Wind remains the primary hazard for the next 24 hours. A cold front makes its way through KCOD and KWRL between 10Z-14Z as a trough begins to swing across the state. North wind behind this front will be short-lived as west to northwest wind kicks in by 18Z at these two terminals. Central terminals to see gusty westerly wind gusting 30-40 kts develop between 14Z-17Z/Thursday. VFR continues for all terminals through 00Z/Friday with the possible exception of KCOD. Northerly upslope flow behind the front will aid shower development and a brief period of MVFR is possible from 14Z-16Z. KWRL may also get a chance at some light rain showers between 16Z-20Z/Thursday. Isolated light rain showers around KCPR may allow for lower end VFR between 00Z-03Z/Friday. Mountain top obscurations will be frequent after 10Z/Thursday. Please see the Aviation Weather Center and/or CWSU ZDV and ZLC for the latest information on icing and turbulence forecasts. && .FIRE WEATHER... Issued at 142 PM MDT Wed May 18 2022 Warm and dry conditions will remain in place today, with elevated fire weather conditions expected across the central and southern zones. Relative humidity will be critical across much of these zones, with values in the teens in the central basins. West to northwest wind gusting of 30 to 40 mph will occur in these areas this afternoon. Isolated showers will develop over far the northwest portions of the forecast area late this afternoon, becoming likely before night. Wind gusts up to 30 mph will continue tonight from zone 279 to 280. Wind gusts over 60 mph will also develop over zones 286/288 this evening and continue through the day Thursday. West to northwest wind gusting 40 to 60 mph will be widespread across the central and southern zones Thursday, including zones 414/415. A cold front will quickly move through the Bighorn Basin and zones 280/281 Thursday morning, keeping wind gusts in the 25 to 35 mph range. && .RIW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... High Wind Warning from 11 PM this evening to 7 AM MDT Thursday for WYZ002-003. High Wind Warning from 9 AM to 6 PM MDT Thursday for WYZ016-017- 027>030. High Wind Warning from 6 AM to 3 PM MDT Thursday for WYZ015-018. && SHORT TERM...LaVoie LONG TERM...CNJ AVIATION...CNJ FIRE WEATHER...LaVoie
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Riverton WY 205 PM MDT Wed May 18 2022 WYZ001>020-022>030-192015- Yellowstone National Park-Absaroka Mountains-Cody Foothills- North Big Horn Basin-Southwest Big Horn Basin- Southeast Big Horn Basin-Owl Creek and Bridger Mountains- Bighorn Mountains West-Bighorn Mountains Southeast- Northeast Johnson County-Southeast Johnson County- Teton and Gros Ventre Mountains-Jackson Hole- Wind River Mountains West-Wind River Mountains East- Upper Wind River Basin-Wind River Basin-Lander Foothills- Green Mountains and Rattlesnake Range- Natrona County Lower Elevations-Casper Mountain-Star Valley- Salt River and Wyoming Ranges-Upper Green River Basin Foothills- Upper Green River Basin-South Lincoln County- Rock Springs and Green River-Flaming Gorge-East Sweetwater County- 205 PM MDT Wed May 18 2022 ...High Wind Warnings in effect for portions of the area from Tonight through Thursday... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for Western and Central Wyoming. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight. Elevated fire weather for portions of central and southern Wyoming this afternoon into the evening. Strong to high winds expected for the Cody Foothills and Absarokas tonight. Please see High Wind Warning for details. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday. Thursday...High wind expected across portions of central and southern Wyoming. Please see High Wind Warning for details. Thursday night through Friday night...Turning much colder with snow showers possible. Freezing temperatures possible Thursday night and Friday night. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Weather spotters are encouraged to report significant weather conditions according to standard operating procedures.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Wind gusts as high as 92 mph were recorded along Highway 28 near South Pass. A 77 mph gust was recorded at the Wind River RAWS site.
Wind gusted as high as 61 mph in Crowheart, WY.
Wind gusts as high as 60 mph were reported at the Sweetwater County Airport.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Wyoming in 2022Every state in 2022This day in weather historyWarnings in Wyoming, May 2022
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: 1027971, 1027972, 1027974.