Cold and Snow Summary for Wyoming

Cold and Snow Summary for Wyoming

The following is a summary of the strong cold front that affected all of Wyoming.  While Star Valley escaped the snow, temperatures dipped to the coldest since last Spring.  Both Thayne ES and Double LL Ranch tied for the coldest valley locations with 18F Friday morning.

UPDATED: September 11th Winter Storm Summary…Now with the latest snow and low temperature reports.


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A rare September snowstorm impacted areas east of the Divide Wednesday night and Thursday (9/11).  The Bighorn Mountains, Buffalo and the Cody Foothills were hardest hit from this storm.  Major tree damage and power outages occurred in Buffalo where 7 to as much as 10 inches of heavy wet snow occurred.  Here is a YouTube Video showing the aftermath of the storm in Buffalo.  This was earliest recorded snowfall for Cody with records going back to 1915 (15 years were missing).  Before this snowstorm the earliest snowfall for Cody was September 12th, 1970, when 8 inches of snow fell.  Although Buffalo has considerable missing historical data, the earliest snowfall on record occurred on September 6, 1929, when 1 inch of snow fell.  However this should be the heaviest recorded snowfall so early in the season for Buffalo.  Below are several pictures across northern and central Wyoming.

A winter wonderland in Cody - Click to enlarge Deep snow in Buffalo - Click to enlarge.
 Winter Wonderland in Cody
(photo courtsey of 
Gretchen Papka)
Deep Snow at French Creek near Buffalo
(photo courtsey of Julie Smith)
Tree damage in Buffalo - Click to enlarge Powder River Pass in a snow storm - Click to enlarge
Tree Damage in Buffalo
(photo courtsey of Chris Hattings)
  Slick and hazardous travel over Powder River Pass in the Bighorn Mountains
(photo courtsey of Peggy Peterson)
Snow on Casper Mountain - Click to enlarge.  First snowman of winter 2014-2015 (summer 2014) in Sheridan - Click to enlarge
 Snow on Casper Mountain
(photo courtsey of 
Hogadon Trails Center)
  First snowman of winter 2014-2015 (summer 2014)
in Sheridan
(photo courtsey of Jami Mclean)

 

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 See all the latest snowfall reports here.

Snow Map - Click to enlarge

Snowfall Totals

County Location Snowfall
Big Horn Shell Creek Snotel 16
Big Horn Bone Springs Divide Snotel 10
Big Horn Bald Mountain Snotel 7
County Location Snowfall
Fremont Castle Creek Snotel 2
Fremont St. Lawrence Alt Snotel 2
Fremont Little Warm Snotel 1
Fremont South Pass Snotel 1
Fremont 15 SW Lander 1
Fremont Riverton Airport 0.3
Fremont Riverton 0.3
County Location Snowfall
Hot Springs Owl Creek Snotel 2
County Location Snowfall
Johnson Little Goose Snotel 20
Johnson Cloud Peak Reservoir Snotel 13
Johnson Soldier Park Snotel 12
Johnson Hansen Sawmill Snotel 11
Johnson Buffalo 7 to 10
Johnson Bear Trap Meadow Snotel 3
Johnson 17 NNW Kaycee 5
Johnson Kaycee 0.1
County Location Snowfall
Natrona Casper Mountain 4.3
Natrona Casper Mountain Snotel 4
Natrona Reno Hill Snotel 4
Natrona 11 ESE Casper 2.8
Natrona 2 S Casper 2.3
Natrona 4 WSW Casper 1.6
Natrona Casper 0.4-1.5
Natrona 10 WSW Casper 1
Natrona Grave Spring Snotel 1
County Location Snowfall
Park Blackwater Snotel 8
Park 5 E Cody 7
Park Marquette Snotel 7
Park Kirwin Snotel 6
Park Timber Creek Snotel 6
Park Wolverine Snotel 6
Park Evening Star Snotel 6
Park Beartooth Lake Snotel 5
Park Cody 3 to 5
Park Meeteetse 3 to 5
Park 4 SE Cody 4
Park 26 SW Cody 3
Park 3 NE Sunshine 3
Park Wapiti 1-3
Park Crandall Creek 3
Park 1 NE Wapiti 1
Park Pahaska 1
County Location Snowfall
Sublette Elkhart Park G.S. Snotel 3
Sublette New Fork Lake Snotel 2
Sublette Kendall Ranger Station Snotel 1
Sublette Big Sandy Opening Snotel 1
County Location Snowfall
Teton Gros Ventre Summit Snotel 1
Teton Togwotee Pass Snotel 1
County Location Snowfall
Washakie Powder River Pass Snotel 4
Washakie 5 NNW Ten Sleep 2
Washakie Middle Powder Snotel 1
County Location Snowfall
Yellowstone Parker Peak Snotel 4
Yellowstone Thumb Divide Snotel 1
Yellowstone Lewis Lake Divide Snotel 1

Cold Temps Banner

A widespread freeze occurred across western and central Wyoming in wake of this rare mid-September snowstorm.  If the volunteer observer in Buffalo comes in with a low in the teens similar to the low at Buffalo Airport (19 degrees) it will be the earliest Buffalo has dipped into the teens since records began in 1899.  WOW! See all the latest morning low temperature reportshere.

Map of Observed Minimum Temperatures for the morning of Friday September 12th.
Low Temperatures through 12 PM 9/12

Location

Low Temperature °F on Sept 12, 2014

Record Low °F for Sept 12th

 Period of Record

Airports (unless otherwise noted)
Big Piney 17 17 in 2001 1976 – 2014
Buffalo 19 34 in 1999 1998 – 2014
Buffalo Town ?? 24 in 1902 1899 – 2014
Casper 25 29 in 1949 1939 – 2014
Greybull 30 32 in 1999 1998 – 2014
Lander 31 26 in 1902 1891 – 2014
Lake Yellowstone 18 25 in 2012 1998 – 2014
Jackson 18 N/A
Riverton 28 38 in 2003 1997 – 2014
Riverton Town 28 28 in 1951 1907 – 2014
Rock Springs 21 26 in 1951 1948 – 2014
Worland 29 31 in 1974 1960 – 2014