Blizzard — Central Carbon County, Wyoming

2019-03-13 · Central Carbon County, Wyoming

Event narrative

Wyoming Highway Patrol along with the ASOS at Rawlins reported blizzard conditions during the event. A fatal crash occurred at milepost 219 on Interstate 80 around 9:37 AM. A Semi with two trailers crashed into a previous crash of two tractor trailers. The one driver involved with the first collision was outside of his vehicle when the second collision occurred. The driver then became trapped between his trailer and tractor portion of the other vehicle. He succumbed to his injuries at the scene. No other injuries were reported but the driver of the third semi was likely driving too fast for the winter road conditions, which were slick with ice and blowing snow.

Wider weather episode

A well deepening Colorado Low underwent bombogenesis producing widespread heavy snow and blizzard conditions across all of southeastern Wyoming. Conditions initially began as rain on the morning of the 13th with thunderstorms across the far southeastern portion before transitioning over to snow later in the morning. By noon of the 13th, almost all of southeastern Wyoming was under blizzard conditions with Interstates 80 and 25 closed to traffic and communities issuing no travel advised to keep folks off the road. Snow foot drifts of over 10 feet tall were reported with heavy snowfall of over a foot measured. Initial estimates placed livestock losses at 4,100 cattle, 200 sheep and 40 horses statewide from snow and flooding.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 802414. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.