High Wind — Upper Wind River Basin, Wyoming

2015-01-05 · Upper Wind River Basin, Wyoming

Event narrative

A wind gust of 61 mph was recorded at the Dubois Elementary School.

Wider weather episode

An upper level low and deep Pacific moisture combined to bring heavy snow to areas west of the Continental Divide. The westerly flow favored the Teton Range where the heaviest snow fell. Over three feet of new snow was estimated to have fallen at both the Grand Targhee and Grassy Lake SNOTEL sites. More than a foot of snow also fell in portions of the Salt River and Wyoming ranges, the Absaroka Range, and Yellowstone National Park. Favorable northwest flow aloft also brought over a foot of snow to northern portions of the western Bighorn Range. The heaviest snow in the lower elevations was at Alpine where 16.5 inches of new snow fell. Totals in Jackson Hole approached 10 inches.

East of the Divide, a tight pressure gradient and strong mid-level winds mixing to the surface brought high winds to several locations. The strongest recorded winds were near Clark, where a gust to 113 mph was measured. Measured gusts in the Green and Rattlesnake ranges and on the south side of Casper in Natrona County topped out at 88 mph and 81 mph, respectively. Peak speeds in southern Lincoln County, eastern Sweetwater County, and the Upper Wind River Basin ranged from 60 to 66 mph.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 549873. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.