An isolated, late season high winds event occurred in the Bordeaux and Arlington/Elk Mountain wind prones across southeast Wyoming.
Every event with a place to put it; 3 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 CYS wrote it up.
An isolated, late season high winds event occurred in the Bordeaux and Arlington/Elk Mountain wind prones across southeast Wyoming.
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 Cheyenne, WY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 30, 2:32 PM MST, 30 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Cheyenne WY
332 PM MDT Sat May 30 2026
.KEY MESSAGES...
- An unsettled weather pattern will continue this weekend with
daily chances for afternoon/evening showers and thunderstorms
as a potent upper level disturbance moves northeast over the
area.
- Strong to severe thunderstorms will develop this afternoon for
areas east of the I-25 corridor. If severe thunderstorms
develop all hazards are possible; large hail, damaging winds,
and tornadoes are possible.
&&
.SHORT TERM /THROUGH MONDAY/...
Issued at 215 PM MDT Sat May 30 2026
Primary forecast concern over the next 48 hours is the potential
for severe thunderstorms over far eastern Wyoming and western
Nebraska this afternoon through late this evening. Potent upper
level low clearly seen on IR and Visible Satellite over south
central Wyoming is forecast to become a negatively tilted open
wave trough over the next several hours. This trough axis will
accelerate northward over eastern Wyoming and western Nebraska
through early this evening. Current surface observations show
ample moisture east of a line from Lusk Pine Bluffs,
paralleling the Wyoming/Nebraska border. Activity has already
started to form across far east central Wyoming and the northern
Nebraska Panhandle where low clouds have dissipated earlier in
the day. Further south, expect another round of thunderstorms to
push across far southeast Wyoming and the southern Nebraska
panhandle, which are now starting to form south of the
Wyoming/Colorado border at this hour. This area will likely
become our primary focus as it moves northeast into this
evening. Upper level analysis shows strong upper level
diffluence increasing rapidly late this afternoon along and
east of I-25 as the base of the trough/vort max lifts northeast.
Expect multicells and isolated supercells initially, with
activity growing upscale once the vort max lifts north. Overall,
expect a large hail threat (1.00-2.00 inches) and maybe an
isolated tornado becoming a straight line wind threat through
the evening hours. Could see some gusts up to 75 MPH with the
strongest lines. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch has been issued
mainly for areas east of Interstate 25 until 900 PM late this
evening. Although cells will move north and northeast, expect
any lines of thunderstorms to propagate eastward into this
evening.
Further west, moisture is much more limited with dewpoints
already dropping into the 30s this afternoon. Still expect
isolated to widely scattered thunderstorms with a gusty wind
threat into this evening before the cooler air, associated with
the negatively tilted trough, moves east into central Wyoming.
Once the trough lifts northeast, westerly winds will increase
behind it with most models showing 700mb winds around 50 knots.
In-house wind guidance shows 55% to 65% probability of high
wind criteria for Arlington/Elk Mountain, with probabilities
between 30% to 45% for Bordeaux and the I-80 Summit/foothills.
With shallow convection over the Arlington area, and a
possibility for gusty winds, decided to upgrade the High Wind
Watch to a Warning and start it earlier (400 PM) in the day.
Thunderstorm activity should push east of our area by midnight,
with left over showers before sunrise Sunday. Can't rule out
some low clouds and patchy fog in areas that received heavy
rain, but westerly winds will quickly increase towards morning
limiting any fog threat. Other than High Wind concerns in and
near the wind prone areas and breezy conditions elsewhere, quiet
weather expected into Sunday with any thunderstorm activity
staying well to the north of I-80 towards Douglas and Lusk. Not
as cool with a slight warming trending...and high temperatures
in the upper 60s (west of I-25) to low/mid 80s for western
Nebraska.
For Monday, showers and thunderstorms should return to the high
plains as surface winds shift into the south and southeast.
Further west, another broad upper level trough will brush the
northern Great Basin region and move into Wyoming later in the
day. May see some strong to marginally severe thunderstorms with
0-6km shear around 35 knots and some low to midlevel
instability.
&&
.LONG TERM /MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY/...
Issued at 231 PM MDT Fri May 29 2026
The long term will remain as unsettled as the short term with near
daily chances of precipitation through at least mid-week. With
the upper-level trough responsible for Saturday's storm expected
to eject northeastward out if the area Sunday, precipitation
chances on Sunday will be rather slim. Lingering showers could
be possible for the northern Wyoming and Nebraska zones of the
forecast area as the system ejects into the Dakotas, but even
these chances look rather slim.
Precipitation chances will increase for the start of the work week
as the upper-level trough/low begins to retrograde back towards the
northwest. The rough location of the low over the Montana/Canada
border, will allow the CWA to once again tap into moisture from the
Gulf. Moisture-rich mid-level southerly flow will usher in the
necessary humidity to fuel storm develop during the afternoon and
evening. Lift will come in the form of vorticity maxes streaming
through the area from the trough to the north, as well as another
trough the enters the picture during the middle of next week. At
this point, global models seem fairly consistent on showing daily
storm chances east of the Laramie Range Monday through Thursday. A
quick look at model soundings for areas east of the Laramie Range
show moderate amounts of CAPE each afternoon as well as decent shear
most days. As a result, severe weather cannot be ruled out each
afternoon.
&&
.AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SUNDAY/...
Issued at 1210 PM MDT Sat May 30 2026
Potent upper level low/trough will lift northeast across the area
today and tonight. Numerous showers and scattered thunderstorms will
develop across the mountains and move east into the high plains this
evening. Thunderstorms will likely become strong to severe for the
western Nebraska terminals and contain strong gusty winds, hail, and
brief very heavy rainfall.
HAZARDS/WEATHER TRENDS: VFR conditions should prevail at KRWL and
KLAR, although some periods of MVFR CIGS can't be ruled out tonight
with some rain shower activity. Further east, showers and
thunderstorms are expected to develop over the next few hours and
track northeast. There is a chance of IFR conditions with these
thunderstorms (15% to 25%), but impacts should be less than 2 hours.
Also, the terminals that see heavy rainfall amounts may see some fog
and/or low CIGS later this evening and into tonight. However
confidence is low (prob and coverage), so will keep out of the TAF
for now.
&&
.CYS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WY...High Wind Watch from 9 PM MDT this evening through Sunday
afternoon for WYZ106-116-117.
High Wind Warning until 9 AM MDT Sunday for WYZ110.
NE...None.
&&
SHORT TERM...TJT
LONG TERM...NB
AVIATION...TJTPreliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Cheyenne WY
310 PM MDT Sat May 30 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0310 PM Hail 2 NNW Chadron 42.85N 103.02W
05/30/2026 E0.75 Inch Dawes NE Public
&&
NSBSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Cheyenne WY
322 PM MDT Sat May 30 2026
WYZ117>119-302200-
Central Laramie County WY-South Laramie Range Foothills WY-
East Laramie County WY-
322 PM MDT Sat May 30 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHEASTERN LARAMIE COUNTY
THROUGH 400 PM MDT...
At 322 PM MDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 11
miles west of Carpenter, or 15 miles southeast of Cheyenne, moving
north at 40 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph and half inch hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Burns, Laramie County Fairgrounds at Archer, and Hillsdale.
This includes Interstate 80 in Wyoming between mile markers 370 and
386.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 900 PM MDT for
southeastern Wyoming.
&&
LAT...LON 4129 10467 4128 10430 4100 10441 4100 10468
TIME...MOT...LOC 2122Z 191DEG 33KT 4101 10455
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
MosePreliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Cheyenne WY
333 PM MDT Sat May 30 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0237 PM Hail 2 NNW Chadron State Par 42.71N 103.02W
05/30/2026 E1.00 Inch Dawes NE Public
Media received report of quarter-sized hail
at Chadron State Park.
&&
NSBPreliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Cheyenne WY
347 PM MDT Sat May 30 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0345 PM Flash Flood Chadron 42.83N 103.00W
05/30/2026 Dawes NE Broadcast Media
Report from radio that some cars were
underwater. 2 inches of rain reported.
Pictures from social media showed
accumulating hail in areas of flooding.
&&
NSBSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Cheyenne WY
354 PM MDT Sat May 30 2026
NEZ020-054-WYZ119-302230-
Kimball NE-Banner NE-East Laramie County WY-
354 PM MDT Sat May 30 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHWESTERN KIMBALL...
SOUTHWESTERN BANNER AND EASTERN LARAMIE COUNTIES THROUGH 430 PM
MDT...
At 354 PM MDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm
capable of producing a landspout near Bushnell, or 15 miles west of
Kimball, moving northeast at 10 mph.
HAZARD...Landspouts, wind gusts up to 40 mph, and half inch hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Minor damage to outdoor objects is possible. Gusty winds
could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured
objects.
This storm will remain over mainly rural areas of northwestern
Kimball, southwestern Banner and eastern Laramie Counties.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 900 PM MDT for
the Panhandle of Nebraska...and southeastern Wyoming.
&&
LAT...LON 4123 10396 4134 10409 4147 10390 4129 10367
TIME...MOT...LOC 2154Z 222DEG 9KT 4129 10395
LANDSPOUT...POSSIBLE
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
VasquezSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Cheyenne WY
359 PM MDT Sat May 30 2026
NEZ054-WYZ119-302230-
Kimball NE-East Laramie County WY-
359 PM MDT Sat May 30 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHWESTERN KIMBALL AND
SOUTHEASTERN LARAMIE COUNTIES THROUGH 430 PM MDT...
At 359 PM MDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm
capable of producing a landspout near Pine Bluffs Municipal Airport,
or 26 miles southwest of Kimball, moving east at 15 mph.
HAZARD...Landspouts, wind gusts up to 50 mph, and half inch hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Minor damage to outdoor objects is possible. Gusty winds
could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured
objects.
This storm will remain over mainly rural areas of southwestern
Kimball and southeastern Laramie Counties.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 900 PM MDT for
the Panhandle of Nebraska...and southeastern Wyoming.
&&
LAT...LON 4106 10416 4110 10413 4110 10401 4100 10408
TIME...MOT...LOC 2159Z 288DEG 15KT 4107 10412
LANDSPOUT...POSSIBLE
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
MoseThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
WYDOT Mesonet station WY 18 7 miles northwest of Elk Mountain gusted 68 mph at 4:02 PM on May 30th. This was the first and highest gust recorded for this zone.
WYDOT Mesonet station KBRX 9 miles south of Wheatland gusted 58 mph at 7:19 AM on May 31st. This was the first and highest gust recorded for this zone.
WYDOT Mesonet station WY21 5 miles northwest of Arlington gusted 61 mph at 9:26 AM on May 30th. This was the first and highest gust recorded for this zone during the first extension of the High Wind Warning.|WYDOT Mesonet station WY18 7 miles northwest of Elk Mountain gusted 64 mph at 12:02 PM on May 20th. This was the final gust recorded for this zone.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Wyoming in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Wyoming, May 2026
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: 1331828, 1331826, 1331830.