Blizzard — Southwest Carbon County, Wyoming

2019-03-13 · Southwest Carbon County, Wyoming

Event narrative

Several periods of high wind criteria gusts above 58 mph coupled with ongoing snow heavy snow brought blizzard conditions. Snow totals were over 15 inches.

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 811605. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.