A weather system moved into Wyoming and brought strong wind across much of western and central Wyoming. Some of the high wind was synoptic, especially in Sweetwater and Natrona Counties, where wind gusted as high as 62 and 71 mph, respectively.
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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 weather system moved into Wyoming and brought strong wind across much of western and central Wyoming. Some of the high wind was synoptic, especially in Sweetwater and Natrona Counties, where wind gusted as high as 62 and 71 mph, respectively. Some others were from convective rain and snow bands. The most notable here was around Tisdale Divide in southern Johnson County where wind gusted to 71 mph.
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 Mar 22, 9:50 AM MST, 1 hour 49 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Riverton WY 1050 AM MDT Sat Mar 22 2025 .KEY MESSAGES... - Snow continues across western Wyoming today, tapering off late. - Strong to high wind likely across much of central and southern Wyoming from midday to early this evening. - The warmest temperatures so far this year are likely during the middle of next week. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 258 AM MDT Sat Mar 22 2025 It has been a while since I wrote the forecast discussion, and so luck has it, there is active weather the first day when I do it again. This is not the most earth shattering weather, but it will be impactful for some. It is spring now, and the is when we can have large contrasts across the area. And this is no exception as there are two main concerns. In western Wyoming, it is snow. In areas East of the Divide as well as Sweetwater County, it is strong to high wind. We will start with the west, the snowy portion of the system. As I write this around 2:30 am, snow has begun across much of the west and it will continue through much of the day, The most intense snow would likely fall through early afternoon, when the area will be under the influence of the best jet dynamics and upper level dynamics, then tapering off later in the afternoon as the trough axis and cold front associated with the fast moving Pacific system moves through. And the fast movement of the system should keep accumulations largely in the advisory range, with at most a 2 out of 5 chance of over 12 inches in the mountains and less than 1 out of 5 chance of greater than 8 inches in the valleys. A few spots could see warning level amounts, but this would be isolated and limited to the highest mountain peaks. In addition, the impacts to travel would likely be mitigated by the strong late March sun, which should limit accumulation on paved surfaces after around 10 am except over the higher passes or if the snowfall rate is heavy. With the jet over the area, wind will be rather strong as well. The wetter nature of spring snow may limit this somewhat, but there will be some areas of blowing snow in the more wind prone areas. This snow should end by sunset, with only a few leftover showers tonight in the mountains. Now we shift to southern and central Wyoming, and the main concern shifts to wind. There will a decent set up with the 120 knot jet over the area, along with good mixing from the approaching trough and some sunshine and steep lapse rates allowing for decent mixing across the area. We did make some changes here. Latest model guidance shows 700 millibar wind increasing to 50 knots across much of Fremont County and as high as 60 knots in Sweetwater County. MOS guidance is showing sustained wind as high as 34 knots at the Riverton Airport and as high as 39 knots at the Sweetwater County airport near Rock Springs. Probabilistic guidance also shows a greater then 1 in 2 chance of gusts past 50 mph in these locations. With a decent chance for high wind gusts, we have issued high wind warnings for the Wind River Basin as well as eastern Sweetwater County today, ending at 9 pm like the other locations. Muddy Gap to Casper also has a greater than 1 in 2 chance of wind gusts past 50 mph, although high wind may occur before the trough passage as opposed to after in the aforementioned locations. Strong wind is also possible in places like the Lee of the Absarokas, northern Big Horn Basin and northern Johnson County but with the chance of wind gusts past 50 mph generally less then 1 out of 3, we will issue no highlights at this time. All areas will have at least a 1 in 2 chance of wind gusts past 35 mph though. Wind should decrease tonight as the pressure gradient relaxes and wind decouples. And there is one more concern, the chance of showers and maybe a few afternoon thunderstorms and possibly banded precipitation. There are steep lapse rates and many areas East of the Divide have negative lifted indices this afternoon. With this, we added a slight chance (1 out of 6 chance) of thunder this afternoon. With highs expected to be in the 40s, the precipitation could be in the form of rain, wet snow, or possibly even small, soft hail, known as graupel. Impacts to roads should remain minimal, as almost all showers would occur during the day and the above freezing temperatures and strong March sun should keep most roads mainly wet. A few spots could see a period of locally heavy rain or snow if things set up correctly though. The chance of showers should end around sunset, as we lose the heating of the day and the trough moved away to the east. Somewhat quieter weather then moves in for much of the rest of the period. Another system will brush by to the north on Sunday but this one has much less moisture to work with so any precipitation would be light. There is some concern for possible high wind in the Cody foothills Sunday afternoon and evening with the area in the right front quadrant of a jet streak pre trough. Still enough uncertainty to not issue any highlights though. Quieter weather then moves in from Monday through Wednesday as ridging builds over the area. This will likely bring some of the warmest air so far this year, especially for Wednesday and Thursday. Wednesday or Thursday could be the days places some of the lower elevation locations East of the Divide see their first 70 degree high temperatures of the year. && .AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SUNDAY/... Issued at 1045 AM MDT Sat Mar 22 2025 West of the Divide...KBPI/KJAC/KPNA/KRKS Terminals Some lingering MVFR conditions at JAC/BPI/PNA with light snow periodically on station. This should lift and end shortly into the period. Otherwise, gusty winds up to 25kts to start the period pushing to 35kts by 21Z. Winds will diminish after sunset beyond the 02-03Z timeframe but remaining elevated at RKS into Sunday. Some mid level ceilings even into the overnight hours into Sunday, but remain VFR. East of the Divide...KCOD/KCPR/KLND/KRIW/KWRL Terminals VFR conditions expected throughout the entirety of the period. Some minimal snow chances at COD through 23Z and at CPR through 01Z, but chances low carrying prob30 groups at this time. Gusty winds expected for all locations up to 40-50kts, highest at CPR not expecting a reprieve down to 25kts until after 02Z becoming 10-15kts after 06Z through the overnight hours. 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... Winter Weather Advisory until 6 PM MDT this evening for WYZ001- 012>014-023-024. High Wind Warning until 9 PM MDT this evening for WYZ016-017- 019-020-030. && DISCUSSION...Hattings AVIATION...Lowe
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Riverton WY 146 AM MDT Sat Mar 22 2025 WYZ001>020-022>030-231300- 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- 146 AM MDT Sat Mar 22 2025 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING FOR WESTERN WYOMING... ...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM MDT SATURDAY FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN WYOMING... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for Western and Central Wyoming. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. Snow continuing in western Wyoming, tapering off late this afternoon. Please see Winter Weather Advisories for details. Strong to high wind likely across portions of central and southern Wyoming. Please see High Wind Warnings for details. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday. Sunday night...Strong wind possible in the lee of the Absarokas. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Weather spotters are encouraged to report significant weather conditions according to Standard Operating Procedures.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
7 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A 58 mph wind gust occurred at the Johnson County airport near Buffalo.
The Worland airport had a wind gust of 58 mph.
Convective banded precipitation brought high wind around Tisdale Divide, with wind gusts as high as 71 mph.
Several wind sensors along Interstate 80 recorded wind gusts over 60 mph. The Sweetwater County airport to the east of Rock Springs recorded a wind gust of 62 mph.
Wind gusted as high as 63 mph near Pathfinder Reservoir along Highway 220.
Wind gusts over 58 mph occurred throughout much of Natrona County. Some of the strongest wind gusts included 63 mph at Midwest and 62 mph at the Natrona County airport.
Wind gusts of 58 mph occurred in Farson.
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, March 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: 1247710, 1247711, 1247708, 1247707, 1247705, 1247706, 1247709.