High wind occurred ahead of a passing cold front around Casper. The highest wind gust reported was 75 mph along Wyoming Boulevard on the south side of Casper.
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The episode as NWS RIW wrote it up.
High wind occurred ahead of a passing cold front around Casper. The highest wind gust reported was 75 mph along Wyoming Boulevard on the south side of Casper.
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 Feb 18, 3:36 AM MST, 4 hours 12 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Riverton WY 336 AM MST Sun Feb 18 2024 .KEY MESSAGES... - Light to moderate snow returns to the west today into this evening. - Strong wind likely from the Green Mountains and Rattlesnake Range through Natrona County today. - Remaining active in western Wyoming through Thursday, while mainly dry conditions with warmer temperatures east of the Divide. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 221 AM MST Sun Feb 18 2024 I hope you enjoyed the decent but chilly day we had yesterday because once again we will be entering an active period, although this one will be more typical of the El Nino winter we have had so far. All areas are dry so far as I write this around 2 am, but radar shows the next batch of precipitation approaching from Idaho and Utah. This will spread into western Wyoming before sunrise and bring another round of snow to the area. There are differences between this system and the previous system. For one, this one is much faster moving than the previous one. It also has less moisture and jet forcing to work with. So, snowfall amounts should be less. The heaviest snow looks to fall between around 2 pm and 8 pm tonight, as the trough axis moves through. For the most part, amounts should remain sub advisory. There is around a 1 in 2 chance of over 6 inches on the higher peaks in the Tetons, where the most snow is expected. However, most areas should not exceed this criteria. In addition, since much of the area has seen copious amounts of snow since late last week, the impacts from this snow will be much less. So, we will go with Special Weather Statements for now. As for east of the Divide, most areas will have a dry and somewhat warmer day. Some of the basins will stay cool with the fresh snow keeping inversions in place. The main concern today will be wind. The tightening pressure gradient and southwest flow, with some models showing 50 knots at 700 millibars, will likely bring strong wind gusts, with 1 in 2 chance of gusts around 50 mph. A few favored areas, like Hat Six Road and Wyoming Boulevard near Casper may see a few gusts around 60 mph, but this should be the exception and not the rule. Here as well, we will go with Special Weather Statements for Natrona County as well as the Green Mountains and Rattlesnake Range. Wind should slowly decrease this evening as the wind decouples and decrease even more after the trough axis passes and slowly turns more northwesterly. As for precipitation, some guidance is indicating some showers this evening across northern portions with the frontal passage, but the chance is only 1 in 4. We have introduced some isolated PoPs to cover for this. Active weather looks to continue through around Thursday across western Wyoming. After a break later Sunday night into Monday morning with transitory ridging, another system will approach the west Monday afternoon and night, although this one looks to have more impact on southwestern Wyoming. It looks similar to today's system in that it will be fast moving and have less than a 1 in 2 chance of advisory amounts of snow. Another couple of waves of the southern stream variety will move through Tuesday night through Thursday, although individual timing on these is more uncertain. The one with the most widespread impacts may be on Wednesday into Wednesday night, with some potential for some light precipitation east of the Divide. There has been a large amount of inconsistency with the details on this system though, so for the most part continuity was left alone. So, the main story east of the Divide will be mainly dry conditions with near to above normal temperatures, especially on Tuesday and Wednesday when locations like Casper and Buffalo may be in the 50s. The basins and valleys, especially with snow cover, will remain cooler. But even here, they should be around or in the 40s by Tuesday as the inversions weaken and break and the stronger late February sun melts some of the snow and decreases albedo. Ridging should then bring mainly dry conditions Friday into most of next weekend. && .AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z MONDAY/... Issued at 334 AM MST Sun Feb 18 2024 West of the Divide...KBPI/KJAC/KPNA/KRKS Terminals BKN-OVC skies to start the TAF period, with MVFR ceilings/IFR vis occurring after 14Z as snow develops across much of the area. These conditions will mainly impact KJAC and KBPI/KPNA between 16Z and 00Z, with VCSH at KRKS. IFR/MVFR conditions are expected, if snow does directly impact the terminal. Snow will become more confined over the northwestern corner of the forecast area this evening, with VFR conditions returning to all terminals as snow ends after 00Z. Snow will end over the northwest by 06Z. East of the Divide...KCOD/KCPR/KLND/KRIW/KWRL Terminals SCT-BKN FL150-250 skies will be in place to start the TAF period. Ceilings will lower to 10kft across the north after 21Z, as chances for snow become possible. Only VCSH is expected at KCOD, with other terminals expected to stay dry. Winds will remain gusty at KCPR through the period, with gusts around 40 kt expected between 17Z and 04Z. Please see the Aviation Weather Center and/or CWSU ZDV and ZLC for the latest information on icing and turbulence forecasts. && .RIW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && DISCUSSION...Hattings AVIATION...LaVoie
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Riverton WY 228 AM MST Sun Feb 18 2024 WYZ001>020-022>030-191400- Yellowstone National Park-Absaroka Mountains-Cody Foothills- North Bighorn Basin-Southwest Bighorn Basin- Southeast Bighorn 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- 228 AM MST Sun Feb 18 2024 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for Western and Central Wyoming. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight. Light to locally moderate snow returning to the western Mountains today and this evening. Strong winds likely from Muddy Gap through Natrona County, with the strongest wind during the afternoon. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday. Monday through Thursday...A few rounds of light to moderate snow likely for western Wyoming. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Weather spotters are encouraged to report significant weather conditions according to Standard Operating Procedures.
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Riverton WY 248 AM MST Sun Feb 18 2024 WYZ013-023-190000- Jackson Hole-Star Valley- Including the cities of Jackson, Afton, Alpine, Star Valley Ranch, and Thayne 248 AM MST Sun Feb 18 2024 ...Periods of snow returning today... This is a special weather statement from the National Weather Service Office in Riverton. * WHAT...Periods of snow. Accumulations of 1 to 3 inches. * WHERE...The Jackson and Star Valleys. * WHEN...This morning through this evening. The heaviest snow is expected afternoon into early this evening. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Motorists should be alert for slick and snow covered roads and rapid changes in visibility. WYZ012-190000- Teton and Gros Ventre Mountains- 248 AM MST Sun Feb 18 2024 ...Periods of snow returning today... This is a special weather statement from the National Weather Service Office in Riverton. * WHAT...Periods of snow. Accumulations of 3 to 6 inches with locally higher amounts. * WHERE...The Tetons and Gros Ventres. * WHEN...This morning through this evening. The heaviest snow is expected afternoon into early this evening. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Motorists should be alert for slick and snow covered roads and rapid changes in visibility. WYZ019-020-190000- Green Mountains and Rattlesnake Range- Natrona County Lower Elevations- Including the cities of Jeffrey City and Casper 248 AM MST Sun Feb 18 2024 ...Strong wind likely today... This is a special weather statement from the National Weather Service Office in Riverton. * WHAT...Southwest wind increasing to 25 to 35 mph with gusts to around 50 mph. Occasional gusts around 60 mph are possible in the windier areas like Wyoming Boulevard south of Casper. * WHERE...natrona County and the Green and Rattlesnake Mountains. * WHEN...This morning into early this evening. The strongest wind is expected this afternoon. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Motorists should watch for strong cross winds.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Wyoming in 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in Wyoming, February 2024
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: 1162667.