A jet streak moved across Wyoming and forced strong mid level wind to the surface. The result was high wind across much of the area.
Every event with a place to put it; 4 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 jet streak moved across Wyoming and forced strong mid level wind to the surface. The result was high wind across much of the area. The strongest wind gusts were in the mountains. Wind gusts as high as 103 mph occurred along the Chief Joseph Highway and 97 mph near Red Canyon in the Wind River Mountains. Natrona County had the strongest wind gusts in the lower elevations, with gusts to 70 mph at the Natrona County Airport to the west 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 5, 4:27 AM MST, 3 hours 23 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Riverton WY 427 AM MST Wed Feb 5 2025 .KEY MESSAGES... - Strong winds spread across a majority of the state today, with High Wind Warnings in effect for most prone ares of Central and Northern WY. - Moderate snowfall increases this morning and afternoon for western mountain ranges. Gusty winds may cause blowing and drifting snow. - Warm air surges northward east of the Divide this afternoon, before a cold front races back southward overnight tonight. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 154 AM MST Wed Feb 5 2025 It's another one of those confusing Wyoming weather days, where many different types of weather will be experienced somewhere in the area. All this differing weather is caused by a fast-moving wave passing by today. The first effect with this wave will be increasing snow across the western mountains. The wave will be bringing colder air aloft, keeping temperatures cooler than yesterday. This will keep higher elevations well below the rain/snow mixing line, so all snow is expected, peaking later this morning, but not tapering off until about sunset. The next impact with this wave will be strong winds. The wave is bringing along a strong jet, which will be able to mix down to the sfc across most of the state today. Most areas should be gusting at least above 30 mph, with areas from South Pass to Casper, the Absarokas around Cody, and Upper Wind River Basin around Dubois gusting to at least 60. High Wind Warnings continue, and have been expanded to cover more areas today. Most winds will be much reduced by midnight tonight as the wave sweeps east. The third impact will be the wild swing in temperatures today and tonight. Yesterday saw the initial effects with the cold front stalled across the state. Casper tied a record high reaching 61, while Greybull set a record low Maximum, only reaching 6 degrees. The gusty south winds will give the warm air a push northward through the day, with the Bighorn Basin joining the rest of the state reaching into the 30s and 40s, while Sweetwater and Natrona Counties jumping well into the 40s and 50s. But, as this is Wyoming, temperatures swing back the other way this evening. As the wave passes to the north and east, cold air will warp back southward behind it, pushing the colder air back southward across most of the state. This will bring temperatures back down into the single digits tonight for areas north of a line from Rock Springs to Casper. Thursday will be a tranquil day between weather systems before the next system moves off the Pacific. Currently this next system will be a bit farther south into Wyoming, which will bring a better moisture feed from the Pacific. This will help produce snowfall for a wide area of the state Thursday night through Friday night. With a better location for the system, there will be a better chance for snow east of the Divide for lower elevations. && .AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z THURSDAY/... Issued at 425 AM MST Wed Feb 5 2025 West of the Divide...KBPI/KJAC/KPNA/KRKS Terminals. A weather system is making its way into Wyoming, bringing snow and/or rain chances to all west of the Divide terminals this TAF period. KJAC has the greatest chance (over 80%) at seeing IFR flight conditions with snow/rain between 13-19Z with brief periods of MVFR conditions. Snow/rain showers are expected through 23Z in the vicinity of the terminal with lingering MVFR ceilings. Snow chances and MVFR flight conditions begin shortly after at KBPI/KPNA with a 30% chance of occurring as early as 13Z. Temperatures will be warmer at KRKS, so periods of light rain showers creating MVFR visibilities are anticipated between 15-17Z with a 30% chance until 24Z. Lowering clouds and precipitation will result in mountain obscuration. All terminals west of the Divide can also expect windy conditions through 06/07Z with KRKS being the windiest with gusts up to 50kts possible. KJAC/KBPI/KPNA will have gusts around 30kts through the day today. East of the Divide...KCOD/KCPR/KLND/KRIW/KWRL Terminals. A weather system is making its way into Wyoming, bringing windy conditions to all terminals this TAF period. KCPR will be the windiest terminal with westerly gusts up around 50kts. All other terminals can anticipate gusts between 30-35kts through the day today. The windiest conditions are forecast to be between 18- 01Z. At KCOD, gusty winds will likely cause blowing snow and MVFR visibilities between 18-01Z. There is also a 30% chance in light snow through 18Z at KCOD. Windy conditions decrease during the late evening hours for all east of the Divide terminals. 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... High Wind Warning until 8 PM MST this evening for WYZ002-003- 016-019-020. && DISCUSSION...Straub AVIATION...Gerhardt
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Riverton WY 207 AM MST Wed Feb 5 2025 WYZ001>020-022>030-061315- 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- 207 AM MST Wed Feb 5 2025 ...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 5 AM EARLY THIS MORNING TO 8 PM MST THIS EVENING... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for Western and Central Wyoming. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. Moderate snowfall this morning and afternoon for the western mountains. Strong winds will spread across a majority of western and central Wyoming today. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday. Thursday night and Friday...A chance of snow across most of western and central Wyoming. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
High wind gusts occurred over much of Natrona County, including a maximum gust of 70 mph at the Natrona County airport.
Wind gusts to 103 mph occurred in along the Chief Joseph Highway. Wind gusts as high as 86 mph occurred at Dead Indian Ridge.
Wind gusts as high as 97 mph in the Red Canyon area. A wind gust of 74 mph was reported at the Fales Rock RAWS site. In the lower elevations, wind gusts as high as 65 mph occurred along Wyoming Highway 220 near Alcova Reservoir.
Wind gusts as high as 64 mph were reported at Cottonwood Merna.
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: 1231248, 1231243, 1231247, 1231249.