A strong jet stream parked over Wyoming for a couple of days. This combined with a passing cold front brought high wind to numerous locations.
Every event with a place to put it; 6 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.
A strong jet stream parked over Wyoming for a couple of days. This combined with a passing cold front brought high wind to numerous locations. The strongest wind gust recorded was 111 mph at Mount Coffin. Along travel corridors, some of the notable wind gusts included 81 mph along the Chief Joseph Highway in Park County and 78 mph at Red Canyon near South Pass in Fremont County. Wind gusts over 60 mph were also reported in the lower elevations of Natrona, Park, and Sublette counties as well.
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 24, 10:09 AM MST, 3 hours 5 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Riverton WY 1009 AM MST Mon Feb 24 2025 .KEY MESSAGES... - Lingering snow occurs over the western mountains and Yellowstone through tomorrow. - Gusty winds continue across Absarokas and Cody Foothills, the strongest occurring through this evening. - Warming trend and dry conditions expected Wednesday through the weekend, with concern for ice jamming and flooding for not only the northern Bighorn Basin but also other areas east of the Divide. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 100 AM MST Mon Feb 24 2025 IR currently depicts ample cloud clover across the CWA with colder cloud tops over Yellowstone and up into Montana where the better energy is ongoing. Snow continues on radar for the western mountains into Monday morning as well but dry for points east and south. The main finger of the PFJ continues to slowly track further south into northern Wyoming pumping in the Pacific northwest moisture even into Tuesday. Continuing to track with the NAMNest as being the most reliable HiRes model with this ongoing snow, expect the heaviest of the snowfall to dwindle by mid to late morning across the western mountains but lingering into the afternoon and overnight hours for the Tetons to Yellowstone. These areas additional snowfall will remain in the 4 to 6 inch range (70-90%). Most of the valleys west of the Divide will remain dry but some instances of a rain/snow mix possible with the temperatures hovering near the freezing mark through daytime heating. Light mountain snow continues for the Tetons to Gros Ventres, and Yellowstone to western Absarokas even into Tuesday but ends by early to mid afternoon behind the cold front. Otherwise, high winds continue for the eastern Absarokas to Cody Foothills, peaking into the afternoon hours with the warmest temperatures and strongest mixing. These will diminish into the overnight but remain elevated into Tuesday, albeit below high wind criteria. The wind corridor will also be windy but below criteria with gusts up to 50 mph likely. All other areas east of the Divide will see 20 to 40 mph sustained and peak winds throughout Monday and a bit less Tuesday. Next up will be with frontal passage Tuesday afternoon with timing a bit uncertain. NAMnest pushing the surface front through by late afternoon to early evening with winds shifting with more of a west to northwesterly swing and diminishing in the process. Supported by the upper shortwave, this will push through Tuesday evening becoming more progressive the further east it gets into the high plains. Some additional snow for the northern Bighorns at that point but short lived with its passage. Otherwise, upper level ridging builds in for Wednesday with increasing convergence aloft. Dry conditions expected with a warming trend through Saturday. This will give way to exceptionally above average temperatures east of the Divide with ice jamming and flooding a concern for the end of the week and into the weekend for the northern Bighorn Basin and Johnson County with what is left of the lower basin snowpack. Regardless, this could be a concern elsewhere as well for points east of the Divide. Beyond that, the next system looks to push in Saturday night into Sunday increasing precipitation chances in the process. && .AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z TUESDAY/... Issued at 953 AM MST Mon Feb 24 2025 Precipitation has mostly come to an end across western terminals this morning, however an isolated shower at KJAC near the start of the period cannot be ruled out. Overall, VFR conditions will prevail across all terminals through the majority of the TAF period. The main concern today will be breezy to gusty winds across most terminals. The strongest of winds look to be at KRKS, KCOD, and KCPR with gusts of 25 to 35 knots at times this afternoon and evening. The remaining terminals will see breezy conditions at times with periodic gusts of 10 to 20 knots. Winds decrease overnight at most terminals but will start to increase Tuesday morning due to a nearing cold front. Gusty winds will be likely across nearly all terminals by the end of the TAF period. Most terminals will see westerly winds of 25 to 35 knots with stronger gusts nearing 40 knots possible at KCOD, KCPR, KLND, and KRIW. Along with the frontal passage will come the chance for some isolated precipitation. KCOD is currently the only terminal with a PROB30 due to the chance of showers near the end of the TAF period. Mountain obscuration will be possible to start the period, with improvement expected throughout the day Monday. Please see the Aviation Weather Center and/or CWSU ZDV and ZLC for the latest information on smoke, icing, and turbulence forecasts. && .RIW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... High Wind Warning until 5 PM MST this afternoon for WYZ002-003. && DISCUSSION...Lowe AVIATION...Dziewaltowski
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Riverton WY 115 AM MST Mon Feb 24 2025 WYZ001>020-022>030-251215- 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- 115 AM MST Mon Feb 24 2025 ...HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 PM MST THIS AFTERNOON... ...HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 PM MST THIS AFTERNOON... ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM MST MONDAY... ...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM MST MONDAY... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for Western and Central Wyoming. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight. Snow diminishes Monday morning west of the Divide but lingers through the remainder of the day for the western mountains and Yellowstone. High winds continues for the Absarokas and Cody Foothills. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday. Light snow for the western mountains Tuesday with gusty winds continuing as well. Warming trend and dry conditions through the rest of the period with ice jamming and flooding a concern by week's end and into the weekend. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
6 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Wind gusts as high as 81 mph were reported along the Chief Joseph Highway.
Strong wind occurred through much of Natrona County. The strongest wind gusts were 70 mph along Wyoming Boulevard on the south side of Casper and along 20 Mile Hill North of Casper.
A sustained wind of 78 mph and wind gust of 111 mph was reported at the very high elevation wind sensor (10900 ft) on Mount Coffin.
A 64 mph wind gust was reported at Cottonwood Merna.
Wind gusts as high as 64 mph were reported at the Hoback RAWS site.
Wind gusts as high as 64 mph occurred along Highway 220 near Pathfinder Reservoir. High wind also occurred with a gust to 78 mph along Highway 28 near Red Canyon .
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: 1232206, 1232211, 1232212, 1232214, 1232213, 1232210.