Winter Storm — Rock Springs & Green River, Wyoming

2016-02-01 to 2016-02-02 · Rock Springs & Green River, Wyoming

Event narrative

Heavy snow fell in portions of the area. Between 5 and 8 inches of snow were measured across Green River. In addition, Interstate 80 was closed for several hours due to snow and blowing snow.

Wider weather episode

An area of low pressure moved out of the Great Basin and passed across Colorado with another low developing in the lee of the Rockies. With ample Pacific moisture available, heavy snow fell across much of Sweetwater and Natrona counties. The heaviest snow fell around Casper where favorable north to northeast low-level upslope flow brought over a foot of snow to parts of the city. Nearby Casper Mountain received as much as two feet of snow. Heavy snow also fell in Sweetwater County where reports of 5 to 10 inches were common. The snow was accompanied by occasional wind gusts over 40 mph, which reduced visibility and created treacherous road conditions. This combination of snow and wind led to the closure of Interstate 80.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 610075. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.