The Washakie Park Fire was first reported around 2:30 pm on September 6 with an initial size of 300 acres. Dry and warm weather allowed the fire to spread to a total of 2464 acres by September 13.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 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 RIW wrote it up.
The Washakie Park Fire was first reported around 2:30 pm on September 6 with an initial size of 300 acres. Dry and warm weather allowed the fire to spread to a total of 2464 acres by September 13. Following that, cooler weather and numerous showers allowed to fire to be contained by September 15. The fire resulted in forest service roads in the vicinity being shut down for several days.
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 Sep 5, 9:36 PM MST, 2 hours 24 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Riverton WY 1036 PM MDT Mon Sep 5 2022 .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Tuesday night) Issued at 110 PM MDT Mon Sep 5 2022 The H5 ridge continues to spin across the western US, centered roughly west central Utah. This is still close enough to continue the extreme September temperatures, with highs still in the 90s for most areas. The steering flow around the ridge is in a prime direction to pull smoke from fires in Idaho into the state, which will continue into the day tomorrow. Hope you enjoyed your nice view of Grand Teton, as the view will be more murky the next few days. Tuesday will be similar to today, with hot and dry conditions continuing. Smoke will be persistent for the state, with some health concerns for those sensitive to smoke. Winds will be weaker tomorrow, so fire weather concerns will be lower, but with humidity levels 10 percent or lower, any burning is still not advised. .LONG TERM...(Wednesday through Monday) Issued at 110 PM MDT Mon Sep 5 2022 The upper-level ridge remains over the forecast area Wednesday with the 700mb temperature axis extending north through Wyoming into Montana. Highs will easily be 15 degrees above normal given 700mb temperatures around 18C, leading to widespread 90+ degree record readings. A few 100-degree highs are likely below 4.5K feet MSL. Some mid-level moisture could generate weak showers across the far northwest late in the day. However, given a dry sub-cloud layer, gusty outflow wind would pose the primary hazard. The ridge flattens Thursday in response to a digging trough in the Northern Rockies. Initially, jet stream energy remains across Montana, but a secondary jet travels the backside of the trough late Thursday and Thursday night. This digs shortwave energy and cooler temperatures into the forecast area Thursday night and Friday. The approach of this trough will increase westerly wind Thursday afternoon in advance of a cold front, which reaches the far north during the afternoon. The warm, dry pre-frontal winds are very likely to lead to critical fire weather conditions in central and southern Wyoming Thursday afternoon. A gusty northerly wind will accompany the frontal push across the far north, but relative humidity should rise as well. Regardless, wind speeds in the eastern Bighorn Basin and northern Johnson County could still pose fire weather problems with 20 to 30 mph post-front wind possible. There is a better chance of showers and isolated thunderstorms across mainly the north Thursday afternoon given dynamics and increased mid- level moisture. These showers continue into Thursday evening as the cold front continues south through areas east of the Continental Divide by midnight. Light showers continue overnight east of the Divide as the jet sags south and shortwave energy traverses the forecast area. Friday highs are noticeably cooler regionwide, but especially behind the cold front to the east of the Divide. Blended models have trended cooler with the most recent run, and they may still prove to be too warm particularly across the north. A check of NBM probabilities and individual GFS and ECMWF ensemble members show an increasing chance that the far north may not make it out of...the 50s...Friday afternoon. Regardless, daytime highs Friday are expected to be 20 to 25 degrees cooler than Thursday and actually below normal for the first time in several weeks. Western areas will be seasonal and dry conditions, while the east holds onto a chance of showers through Friday. The ridge is quick to rebound Saturday with conditions drying out and daytime highs climbing to seasonal readings again by Sunday and Monday. After a dry weekend, some moisture in southwest flow aloft reaches the west Monday afternoon leading to a chance of showers. && .AVIATION...For the 06Z TAFS through 06Z Wednesday Issued at 1000 PM MDT Mon Sep 5 2022 VFR conditions will prevail at the terminal sites. KJAC may see visibility lower to MVFR conditions Tuesday morning due to smoke. Smoke plumes will pass through WY on Tuesday. This will reduce visibility, and local MVFR conditions will be possible through 00Z Wednesday. Some mountain obscuration will occur due to the smoke. 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 110 PM MDT Mon Sep 5 2022 Red Flag Warnings continue today for the higher peaks of western WY through this evening for gusty winds and very low RH. Thicker smoke from Idaho has held back the mixing down of the winds this afternoon, but some thinning and heating will still bring some gusts later this afternoon. Very low RH will continue this week, with very fast drying of fine fuels statewide. Winds will be lighter through Wednesday, with minimal gusts above 10 mph. Models after Wednesday are very different, but could hint at a near- critical day Thursday with very gusty winds and/or frontal shift winds and very dry air. && .RIW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...None. && SHORT TERM...Straub LONG TERM...Jones AVIATION...AR FIRE WEATHER...Straub
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Riverton WY 757 PM MDT Mon Sep 5 2022 WYZ001>020-022>030-061200- 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- 757 PM MDT Mon Sep 5 2022 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for Western and Central Wyoming. .DAY ONE...Tonight. No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday. Tuesday through Wednesday...Very hot temperatures and low humidity will lead to elevated to near-critical fire weather across the area. Thursday...A cold front will move through the area, with critical fire weather conditions likely in the afternoon. There will be a chance for showers and thunderstorms over northern portions in the afternoon and evening. .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.
1 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.
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, September 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: 1056552.