Winter Storm — Central Carbon County, Wyoming

2023-04-03 to 2023-04-04 · Central Carbon County, Wyoming

Event narrative

Multiple sources including NWS Cooperative Observers, trained weather spotters, and members of the general public, reported 10 inches of snow in the city of Rawlins.

Wider weather episode

A large, slow moving low pressure system intensified rapidly as it tracked across the central Rockies between 4/2 and 4/5. This weather system combined with a historically significant amount of moisture from both the Pacific Ocean and Gulf of Mexico to produce extreme snowfall rates across portions of southeast Wyoming. Heavy snow initially developed across Carbon, Albany, Converse, and Niobrara counties during the overnight hours from 4/2 into 4/3, before spreading across the remainder of the High Plains late in the evening on 4/3. Accumulating snowfall persisted across much of the region until mid to late afternoon on 4/4. Total accumulations ranged from 1 to 2 feet for many areas along and north of a line from Rawlins to Wheatland to Lusk, with localized amounts exceeding 2 feet in higher elevation areas. In Carbon County near Rawlins and Elk Mountain, the snow combined with strong wind gusts near 45 MPH to produce periods of blizzard conditions. Significant transportation impacts were reported with extended (36+ hour) closures including both I-80 and I-25 west and north of Cheyenne, respectively.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1085944. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.