A tight pressure gradient led to strong wind in and on the eastern slopes of the Absaroka Range.
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The episode as NWS RIW wrote it up.
A tight pressure gradient led to strong wind in and on the eastern slopes of the Absaroka Range.
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 23, 3:32 AM MST, 1 hour 28 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Riverton WY 332 AM MST Sun Feb 23 2025 .KEY MESSAGES... - Increasing winds and snow push in Sunday for the western mountains with rain/snow mix to just rain for lower valleys. - Snow and wind continue Monday diminishing into Tuesday with a cold front passage. - Warming trend and dry conditions for the remainder of the week with possible ice jamming and flooding. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 1150 PM MST Sat Feb 22 2025 IR currently depicts clear skies across the CWA with high clouds pushing in from the west spilling over the ridge. The main shortwave is evident across the Pacific northwest that will push through the state Sunday through Tuesday. Upper level ridging has begun to break down as it pushes east into Sunday morning due to increasing divergence aloft with the aforementioned next disturbance. The main finger of the PFJ continues to slide further south through Montana towards northern Wyoming that will start to pump in the Pacific northwest moisture, and thus the increasing snow chances. As this shifts further south, the gradient and zonal flow increases mixing to the surface come Sunday morning. Ongoing drainage wind for the Cody Foothills and Wind River Basin overnight but all areas will see a rise in wind speeds by mid to late morning with daytime heating. The wind corridor will see its usual higher wind speeds, although not the most ideal high wind warning criteria direction but still seeing frequent 50 plus mph winds. The main energy to see the higher speeds will be across the Absarokas and into the Cody Foothills, where 60 to 70 mph gusts will be likely into the afternoon and overnight into Monday. Some easement of winds overnight but will remain elevated at all locations. Snow chances will increase out of Idaho by late morning for Yellowstone and into the western mountains by early afternoon. Valleys will not see the precipitation until mid afternoon, but at that point, a mix to even just liquid rain will be the likely type with the warmer than average temperatures above freezing. Turning over to snow after dark overnight into Monday will give way to minimal accumulations with the best chances for 2 to 3 inches at 70 to 80 percent. Southern Yellowstone and the Tetons/Gros Ventres will see 60 to 80 percent accumulation's over 8 inches with Tetons the best chances for over a foot of 40 to 50 percent. This is all per usual for the westerly zonal upper level flow but with more minimal amounts across the western Winds to the Salts/Wyoming ranges at this time. Winter weather headlines will remain in place for the aforementioned areas being the more prevalent a bit further north in line with the main finger of the PFJ. Otherwise, snow diminishes overnight Monday into Tuesday as well as the higher winds with the main shortwave pushing east of the Divide and out of the CWA by day's end into Wednesday morning. Frontal passage Tuesday afternoon will hinder the high temperatures by a few degrees, especially east of the Divide with only minimal chances for some sprinkles and/or flakes but mainly dry for most outside of the higher terrain. Ice jamming and any flooding concerns look to be more limited with this system for the northern Bighorn Basin and Johnson County with the FROPA and looks to be more aligned for concerns later into the work and next weekend. A stronger ridge looks to build in Wednesday onward with increasing convergence aloft bringing another more distinct warming trend and dry conditions. This will help to aid in blocking a closed low well to the south and limit the impacts of the next system by the end of next weekend where precipitation chances increase once again. Time will tell, so stay tuned for updated forecasts in the coming days. && .AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z MONDAY/... Issued at 330 AM MST Sun Feb 23 2025 Prevailing VFR conditions through this morning. A weather system moves in from the northwest by Sunday afternoon brining snow/rain to KJAC by 20Z. The heaviest snow/rain will begin around 22Z at KJAC with conditions dropping to IFR by that time. Conditions are expected to deteriorate further at KJAC by 02Z as ceilings drop to IFR (possibly as low as LIFR) Sunday evening. Lower ceilings move into KBPI and KPNA after 06Z Monday. Wind will be the story at other terminals as strong wind develops at KCPR/KCOD this afternoon. Gusts as high as 50 knots will be possible at times Sunday afternoon at these terminals. Mountain obscuration will increase across western mountain ranges Sunday afternoon, becoming prevalent Sunday evening. 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... Winter Weather Advisory from 11 AM this morning to 11 AM MST Monday for WYZ001-012. High Wind Warning until 5 PM MST Monday for WYZ002-003. && DISCUSSION...Lowe AVIATION...Hattings
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Riverton WY 1230 AM MST Sun Feb 23 2025 WYZ001>020-022>030-241130- 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- 1230 AM MST Sun Feb 23 2025 ...HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 5 AM SUNDAY TO 5 PM MST MONDAY... ...HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 5 AM SUNDAY TO 5 PM MST MONDAY... ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM SUNDAY TO 11 AM MST MONDAY... ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM SUNDAY TO 11 AM MST MONDAY... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for Western and Central Wyoming. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight. Snow chances and high winds increase through the morning and especially for the afternoon to evening hours. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday. Snow and high winds continue Monday and into Tuesday before coming to an end. Ice jamming and flooding concerns minimal Sunday and Monday but more prevalent later in the period for Thursday through next Saturday. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The WYDOT sensor over Chief Joseph Pass along WY Hwy 296 gusted to 91 mph.
The Irma Lake wind sensor gusted to 69 mph.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Wyoming in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in Wyoming, February 2025
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: 1232437, 1232438.