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Heavy snow fell in the mountains of far western Wyoming Wednesday, January 29, and Thursday, January 30.  A plume of moisture originating in the tropical Pacific Ocean was matched with significant atmospheric forcing and a favorable wind direction to generate snowfall amounts topping one foot in many mountains locales.  The westerly winds are lifted by the north-south mountain ranges of far west Wyoming, which in turn aids snowfall production.  The heaviest snow fell across the western mountains and valleys Wednesday and Wednesday evening, before winding down early Thursday.  The plume lingered longest over the Salt River and Wyoming mountain ranges of far west-central Wyoming through much of Thursday heping to boost totals in that region.  Some valley locations from Thayne to Moose had snowfall totals of 10″ to 12″, while many other valley communities saw totals approaching 6″.  The snowfall even extended to the Wind River Mountain foothills around Pinedale and Daniel where snow totals of 4″ to 8″ were observed.
There will be a brief respite from the snowy conditions across the west on Friday before snow chances increase for the weekend and early next week.  However, the Arctic origin of this airmass will limit snowfall totals as it will be lacking a warm moisture source.  What the pattern does lead to is that western and central Wyoming could see very cold temperatures by the early to middle part of next week.  

A view of the 10″+ snowfall at Star Valley Ranch Thursday morning (1/30). Image courtesy of Jack Hales.	The camera shakes in the 50-70 mph wind on Wyoming Boulevard Wednesday afternoon (1/29).  Image courtesy of WYDOT.

Snowfall Query  Lincoln  Station Name Snowfall   Lincoln Blind Bull Summit Snotel 21 Lincoln Commissary Ridge 21 Lincoln Indian Creek Snotel 20 Lincoln Cottonwood Creek Snotel 19 Lincoln Spring Creek Divide Snotel 18 Lincoln Willow Creek Snotel 17 Lincoln Blind Bull Summit 16 Lincoln Kelley Ranger Station Snotel 15 Lincoln Hams Fork Snotel 14 Lincoln Alpine 12 Lincoln Alpine 12 Lincoln Alpine 12 Lincoln 5 NNE Thayne 11.7 Lincoln Box Y Ranch 11 Lincoln Bedford 10 Lincoln Fairview 10 Lincoln 2 SE Thayne 9.3 Lincoln Salt River Summit Snotel 8 Lincoln 4 ENE Thayne 7.5 Lincoln Star Valley Ranch 7 Lincoln Star Valley Ranch 6 Lincoln 21 NNW Kemmerer 5 Lincoln 3 W Afton 4 Lincoln 3 SE Bedford 4 Lincoln Afton 3.3 Lincoln Fossil Butte 1.2 Lincoln 5 SSE Smoot 1 County Big Horn Station Name Snowfall Big Horn Bone Springs Divide Snotel 9 Big Horn Shell Creek Snotel 9 Big Horn Bald Mountain Snotel 8 Big Horn Shell 3.5 Big Horn Basin 2 Big Horn Hyattville 1.5 Big Horn Deaver 1 Big Horn Greybull 0.7 Fremont Station Name Snowfall Fremont Brooks Lake Lodge 10 Fremont South Pass Snotel 8 Fremont Deer Park Snotel 7 Fremont Castle Creek Snotel 5 Fremont St. Lawrence Alt Snotel 4 Fremont Little Warm Snotel 4 Fremont Hobbs Park Snotel 4 Fremont Townsend Creek Snotel 4 Fremont Atlantic City 3.5 Fremont Cold Springs Snotel 3 Fremont Dubois 1 Hot Springs Station Name Snowfall Hot Springs Owl Creek Snotel 3 Hot Springs 9 NE Thermopolis 1.1 Hot Springs Thermopolis 0.5 Hot Springs Thermopolis 0.2  Johnson Station Name  Snowfall  Johnson Bear Trap Meadow Snotel 5 Johnson Cloud Peak Reservoir Snotel 4 Johnson 18 E Ten Sleep 4 Johnson Soldier Park Snotel 2 Johnson Little Goose Snotel 2 Johnson Hansen Sawmill Snotel 1 Johnson Buffalo 0.1 Johnson 4 SSW Buffalo 0.1 Natrona  Station Name  Snowfall  Natrona Grave Spring Snotel 4 Natrona Casper 0.5 to 1 Natrona 5 SSW Casper 0.8 Natrona 10 WSW Casper 0.8 Natrona 4 WSW Casper 0.7 Natrona 11 ESE Casper 0.5 Natrona 11 WSW Casper 0.3 Park  Station Name  Snowfall Park Blackwater Snotel 12 Park Wolverine Snotel 12 Park Evening Star Snotel 12 Park Beartooth Lake Snotel 10 Park Kirwin Snotel 7 Park 2 WSW Cody 3 Park Cody 2.9 Park Cody 2.5 Park Marquette Snotel 2 Park 4 SE Cody 1.7 Park 5 ESE Cody 1.7 Park Timber Creek Snotel 1 Park 26 SW Cody 1 Park 3 NE Sunshine 0.8 Park 4 ENE Powell 0.2 Sublette Station Name Snowfall Sublette Triple Peak Snotel 17 Sublette Loomis Park Snotel 15 Sublette Snider Basin Snotel 14 Sublette Merna 14 Sublette Kendall Ranger Station Snotel 13 Sublette Larsen Creek Snotel 13 Sublette Elkhart Park G.S. Snotel 12 Sublette New Fork Lake Snotel 11 Sublette Big Sandy Opening Snotel 11 Sublette Pocket Creek Snotel 10 Sublette East Rim Divide Snotel 10 Sublette Gunsite Pass Snotel 9 Sublette 14 NW Pinedale 8 Sublette Daniel Fish Hatchery 5 Sublette 1 N Pinedale 5 Sublette Pinedale 4.7 Sublette Bondurant 4.4 Sublette Pinedale 4 Sublette Boulder Rearing Station 2 Sublette 13 SE Pinedale 0.4 Sweetwater Station Name Snowfall Sweetwater Wamsutter 1 Sweetwater Rock Springs 0.7 Sweetwater Rock Springs 0.3 Sweetwater Green River 0.3 Teton Station Name Snowfall  Teton Grand Targhee Snotel 24 Teton Grassy Lake Snotel 21 Teton Grand Targhee-Chief Joseph 20 Teton Jackson Hole-Raymer 19 Teton Phillips Bench Snotel 19 Teton Snake River Stn Snotel 18 Teton Jackson Hole-Rendezvous Bowl 18 Teton Granite Creek Snotel 16 Teton Jackson Hole-Mid 14 Teton Base Camp Snotel 13 Teton Moose 12.5 Teton Togwotee Pass Snotel 12 Teton Togwotee Mountain Lodge 11 Teton Moose 10.9 Teton 2 NE Teton Village 9.3 Teton 12 NE Jackson 9 Teton 5 NW Jackson 8.7 Teton 3 SSW Wilson 8.5 Teton Rafter J Ranch 8 Teton Teton Pass 8 Teton Jackson Hole-Base 7 Teton Gros Ventre Summit Snotel 6 Teton Snow King 6 Teton Moose 6 Teton 4 SSW Jackson 5.6 Teton Alta 5.5 Teton Colter Bay 5 Teton Jackson 4.5 Teton Jackson 3.5 Teton 2 WSW Jackson 3 Teton Darwin Ranch 1.9 Teton 4 SSW Jackson 1.8 Teton Rafter J Ranch 1.5 Teton 1 ENE Teton Village 1.3  Washakie  Station Name Snowfall  Washakie Powder River Pass Snotel 11 Washakie Middle Powder Snotel 4 Washakie 16 SSE Ten Sleep 2.7 Washakie Ten Sleep 2.7 Washakie 5 NNW Ten Sleep 2.7 Washakie Worland 0.5 Washakie 8 SW Worland 0.5 Washakie Winchester 0.2  Yellowstone Station Name Snowfall  Yellowstone Two Ocean Plateau Snotel 20 Yellowstone Lewis Lake Divide Snotel 19 Yellowstone Parker Peak Snotel 9 Yellowstone Sylvan Lake Snotel 7 Yellowstone Lamar Ranger Station 7 Yellowstone Thumb Divide Snotel 6 Yellowstone Sylvan Road Snotel 6 Yellowstone Canyon Snotel 4 Yellowstone Old Faithful Ranger Station 2 Yellowstone Tower Falls Ranger Station 1 Yellowstone Snake River Ranger Station 1

Strongest Winds Tuesday and Wednesday (Jan 28-29) County Station Name (Elevation) Wind Gust (mph) Natrona Fales Rock (6380′) 75 Natrona Outer Drive (WYO 258 Wyoming Blvd) 71 Fremont Red Canyon (6768′) 70 Park 8 S Clark (4710′) 69 Fremont 7 SW Muddy Gap (Camp Creek RAWS 7380′) 68 Park Chief Joseph Highway (8136′) 65 Park 5 WNW Clark (4659′) 63 Fremont 10 N Dubois (8085′) 60 Teton Summit – Jackson Hole Mountain Resort (10K) 55 Natrona Casper- Natrona County Int’l Airport ASOS 55 Park Hoyt Peak (9800′) 55 Fremont Beaver Rim (6784′) 55 Johnson 7 SW Barnum (Poker Creek RAWS 6440′) 53 Natrona Hiland (6134′) 52 Johnson 13 NNW Buffalo (4737′) 52 Fremont 10 W Ft. Washakie (9235′) 52 Sweetwater 15 SE Rock Springs (Snow Springs RAWS 7550′) 52 Park Meeteetse 52 Johnson Buffalo-Johnson County Airport ASOS 52 Natrona 19 N Casper (5677′) 51 Park 10 WNW Cody (8401′) 50 Fremont Riverton Regional Airport ASOS  49 Sublette 21 W Big Piney (8200′) 49 Fremont 2 W South Pass City (8185′) 49 Johnson 21 ESE Buffalo (4657′) 48 Sweetwater I-80 Milepost 184 48 Fremont Jeffrey City (6374′) 48 Fremont South Pass (8491′) 47 Natrona 7 W Alcova (6342′) 47 Fremont 1 WNW Dubois (7014′) 47 Sweetwater Rock Springs-Sweetwater Co. Airport ASOS 47 Teton Raymer – Jackson Hole Mountain Resort 46 Sweetwater 5 E Rock Springs (6369′) 46 Park Chief Joseph Highway – Milepost 9 46 Fremont Lander Hunt Field ASOS 46 Fremont 8 W South Pass City (8120′) 46 Washakie S. Bighorn Mountains (6554′) 46 Johnson 2 NW Mayoworth (5404′) 46