Winter Storm — Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

2023-02-19 to 2023-02-21 · Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Event narrative

Very heavy snow fell in Yellowstone Park. There were widespread reports of over a foot of snow, with many locations seeing over two feet. The heaviest snow fell in the southwestern portion of the park, where 40 inches of new snow fell to the west of the South Entrance.

Wider weather episode

Slow-moving low pressure combined with ample moisture from an atmospheric river brought heavy snow and strong wind to much of western and central Wyoming. The combination brought local blizzard conditions to portions of Johnson, Natrona, Sweetwater and Fremont Counties that led to multi-day closures of major roads. The heaviest snow fell in the western mountains where reports of over 20 inches of snow were common. The highest amounts fell in northwestern Wyoming where 40 inches fell in southwestern Yellowstone Park and over 30 inches at the Jackson Hole Ski Resort. Reports of over a foot of snow were commonplace in the western Valleys. East of the Continental Divide, over 18 inches of snow was reported in the Absaroka Mountains and Bighorns. In the populated lower elevations, the heaviest snow fell in the northeasterly upslope locations, with up to 14 inches around Casper and close to 20 inches in the foothills to the south of Lander. Across Sweetwater County, winds gusting to around 70 mph brought blizzard conditions that closed Interstate 80 for an extended period, with several people having to be rescued from stranded vehicles.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1082978. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.