Wyoming, 2024

Winter Storm and High Wind in Wyoming, January 17 to 18, 2024

January 17 to 18, 2024 · NWS RIW · 9 events in 9 counties and zones

A Pacific system moved into western Wyoming and brought another round of heavy snow to western Wyoming. The heaviest snow fell in southwestern Wyoming with up to 20 inches of new snow in the Salt and Wyoming Range.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 9 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
9

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.

A Pacific system moved into western Wyoming and brought another round of heavy snow to western Wyoming. The heaviest snow fell in southwestern Wyoming with up to 20 inches of new snow in the Salt and Wyoming Range. Several locations in the Tetons also received over a foot of snow. Amounts in the western valleys were generally 7 to 13 inches in the Star Valley and 6 to 9 inches in the Jackson Valley. The snow combined with gusty wind that brought difficult travel and some road closures. Some areas East of the Divide had high winds, with gusts as high as 75 mph around Buffalo.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 winter storm, 2 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Yellowstone National Park

When
January 17, 12:00 AM MST to January 18, 9:00 AM MST
Where
Yellowstone National Park forecast zone
Reported by
SNOTEL
Coordinates
44.228, -110.089 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Up to 14 inches of new snow fell in the southwestern mountains of Yellowstone Park.

Winter Storm, Teton & Gros Ventre Mountains

When
January 17, 12:00 AM MST to January 18, 9:00 AM 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)

Up to 19 inches of new snow fell in the Tetons near Moose. Around 12 inches of snow fell in around Jackson Hole.

Winter Storm, Salt River & Wyoming Ranges

When
January 17, 12:00 AM MST to January 18, 9:00 AM 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)

Over a foot of new snow fell through most of the Salt and Wyoming Range, with a maximum of 20 inches to the east of Smoot.

Winter Storm, Jackson Hole

When
January 17, 3:00 AM MST to January 18, 9:00 AM MST
Where
Jackson Hole forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
43.100, -110.623 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snowfall amounts around the Jackson Valley ranged from 5 to 10 inches, including 8 inches at in the town of Jackson.

Winter Storm, Star Valley

When
January 17, 3:00 AM MST to January 18, 9:00 AM MST
Where
Star Valley forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
42.264, -110.656 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy snow fell through the Star Valley, with 6 to 12 inches of new snow in most locations.

Winter Storm, Wind River Mountains West

When
January 17, 6:00 AM MST to January 18, 9:00 AM MST
Where
Wind River Mountains West forecast zone
Reported by
Department of Highways
Coordinates
42.904, -109.273 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A combination of snow and strong wind brought the closure of Highway 28 over South Pass.

Winter Storm, Wind River Mountains East

When
January 17, 6:00 AM MST to January 18, 9:00 AM MST
Where
Wind River Mountains East forecast zone
Reported by
Department of Highways
Coordinates
42.904, -109.273 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A combination of snow and strong wind brought the closure of Highway 28 over South Pass.

High Wind, Natrona County Lower Elevations

When
January 17, 11:00 PM MST to January 18, 3:00 AM MST
Where
Natrona County Lower Elevations forecast zone
Measured
59 kt (68 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
42.962, -106.798 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong wind occurred ahead of a cold front passage. The strongest wind gust reported was 68 mph along Wyoming Boulevard to the south of Casper.

High Wind, Northeast Johnson County

When
January 18, 3:30 AM MST to 7:45 AM MST
Where
Northeast Johnson County forecast zone
Measured
65 kt (75 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
44.039, -106.585 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winds gusts as high as 75 mph occurred in Buffalo. The Johnson County airport had wind gusts as high as 64 mph.

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 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in Wyoming, January 2024

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1158031, 1158032, 1158034, 1158033, 1158035, 1158036, 1158037, 1158039, 1158038.