Winter Storm in Wind River Mountains East, Wyoming

Very heavy snow fell in the east slopes of the Wind River Range. Many areas had over 15 inches of new snow with a maximum of 27 inches at the Townsend Creek SNOTEL site.

A potent winter storm rang in the New Year across Wyoming and brought heavy snow across much of the area, leading to numerous road closures, including Interstates 25 and 80, and severely hampering holiday travel. The heaviest snow fell East of the Divide. In the Wind River Mountains, as much as 27 inches of new snow fell. The Lander area saw the highest snowfall totals in the populated areas, with anywhere from 15 to 22 inches around town. Over a foot of snow also fell in the lower elevations of Lincoln, Natrona, Sublette and Sweetwater Counties. The snow was also accompanied by wind gusts close to 50 mph in the favored locations, bring near zero visibility with blowing and drifting snow.