Wyoming, 2022

Winter Storm and High Wind in Wyoming, November 4 to 5, 2022

November 4 to 5, 2022 · NWS RIW · 13 events in 13 counties and zones

Low pressure passed across Wyoming and brought a combination of heavy snow in the mountains and high winds in the lee of the Absaroka Range, lee of the Wind River Range, and the wind corridor from eastern Sweetwater to Natrona County. The heaviest snow fell in the Tetons, where up to 20 inches of new snow was reported at the local ski resort.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 13 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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
13

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.

Low pressure passed across Wyoming and brought a combination of heavy snow in the mountains and high winds in the lee of the Absaroka Range, lee of the Wind River Range, and the wind corridor from eastern Sweetwater to Natrona County. The heaviest snow fell in the Tetons, where up to 20 inches of new snow was reported at the local ski resort. Many more locations saw high wind. The highest reported wind gust was 111 mph at Red Canyon along South Pass. Wind gusts past 58 mph were also reported in portions of Fremont, Johnson, Natrona, Park and Sweetwater Counties. The snow and wind closed some roads, especially mountain passes, including South Pass.

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, 5 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Teton & Gros Ventre Mountains

When
November 4, 12:00 PM MST to November 5, 7:00 PM MST
Where
Teton & Gros Ventre Mountains forecast zone
Reported by
SNOTEL
Coordinates
43.002, -109.948 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy snow fell in the Tetons. Some of the more notable amounts included 20 inches at the Jackson Hole Ski Resort and 17 inches at Grand Targhee Ski Resort.

Winter Storm, Yellowstone National Park

When
November 4, 12:00 PM MST to November 5, 7:00 PM MST
Where
Yellowstone National Park forecast zone
Reported by
SNOTEL
Coordinates
44.228, -110.089 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy snow fell in Yellowstone. Some of the more notable amounts included 16 inches at the Lewis Lake Divide and 16 inches at Two Ocean Plateau.

Winter Storm, Jackson Hole

When
November 4, 2:00 PM MST to November 5, 12:00 PM MST
Where
Jackson Hole forecast zone
Reported by
Storm Chaser
Coordinates
43.100, -110.623 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snowfall amounts of 6 to 8 inches fell at the base of the Jackson Hole Ski resort, Lesser amounts fell around the town of Jackson.

Winter Storm, Salt River & Wyoming Ranges

When
November 4, 8:00 PM MST to November 5, 8:00 PM MST
Where
Salt River & Wyoming Ranges forecast zone
Reported by
SNOTEL
Coordinates
42.516, -110.286 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Numerous SNOTEL sites in the Salt and Wyoming Range reported a foot of new snow.

Winter Storm, Star Valley

When
November 4, 8:00 PM MST to November 5, 8:00 PM MST
Where
Star Valley forecast zone
Reported by
CoCoRaHS
Coordinates
42.264, -110.656 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snowfall amounts around the foothills of the Star Valley ranged from 5 to 10 inches of snow. Lesser amounts fell around Afton.

High Wind, Natrona County Lower Elevations

When
November 4, 9:14 PM MST to November 5, 5:42 PM MST
Where
Natrona County Lower Elevations forecast zone
Measured
81 kt (93 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
42.962, -106.798 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There were numerous reports of high winds across Natrona County. The strongest wind gusts were along Wyoming Boulevard south of Casper where a maximum wind gust of 81 mph was reported, Other notable gusts included 65 mph along Hat Six Road and 64 mph at the Natrona County airport.

High Wind, Cody Foothills

When
November 5, 8:15 AM MST to 8:45 AM MST
Where
Cody Foothills forecast zone
Measured
55 kt (63 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
44.521, -109.588 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A maximum wind gust of 63 mph was reported at the Clark firehouse.

High Wind, Lander Foothills

When
November 5, 11:30 AM MST to 12:15 PM MST
Where
Lander Foothills forecast zone
Measured
56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
43.041, -108.630 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The weather station in Sinks Canyon near Lander reported a maximum wind gust of 65 mph.

High Wind, Wind River Mountains East

When
November 5, 11:44 AM MST to 2:44 PM MST
Where
Wind River Mountains East forecast zone
Measured
96 kt (110 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
42.904, -109.273 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Very strong winds occurred in the Wind River Mountains. Winds gusted above hurricane force for several hours at Red Canyon along South Pass with a maximum gust of 111 mph. The pass was shut down for several hours due to high wind and blowing snow.

High Wind, Green Mountains & Rattlesnake Range

When
November 5, 11:50 AM MST to 3:24 PM MST
Where
Green Mountains & Rattlesnake Range forecast zone
Measured
68 kt (78 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
42.554, -108.102 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winds gusted as high as 78 mph at the Fales Rock RAWS site. A wind gust to 63 mph was reported near the Pathfinder Reservoir along Highway 220.

High Wind, Northeast Johnson County

When
November 5, 12:35 PM MST to 1:35 PM MST
Where
Northeast Johnson County forecast zone
Measured
59 kt (68 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
44.039, -106.585 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind gusts as high as 68 mph were reported along Interstate 90. The Johnson County airport near Buffalo had a maximum wind gust of 60 mph.

High Wind, Absaroka Mountains

When
November 5, 1:32 PM MST to 1:36 PM MST
Where
Absaroka Mountains forecast zone
Measured
70 kt (81 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
43.760, -108.887 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A maximum wind gust of 81 mph was reported along the Chief Joseph Highway.

High Wind, East Sweetwater County

When
November 5, 5:43 PM MST
Where
East Sweetwater County forecast zone
Measured
56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
41.660, -108.879 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A wind gust of 64 mph was reported at the Sweetwater County airport to the east of Rock Springs. The wind was accompanied by snow which brought very difficult travel conditions along Interstate 80.

What these are

Winter Storm
A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.
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 2022Every state in 2022This day in weather historyWarnings in Wyoming, November 2022

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1067138, 1067566, 1067142, 1067144, 1067145, 1067312, 1067314, 1067309, 1067308, 1067311, 1067150, 1067313, 1067315.