A big winter storm is coming to Wyoming this week. Snow will start falling Wednesday night and could last until Friday. The storm could bring up to 20 inches of heavy snow to parts of Wyoming, especially in the mountains and central areas.
Snow coming across Wyoming
This storm will affect almost all of Wyoming. Snow will start in western Wyoming Wednesday evening and move east. The hardest-hit areas will be the mountains, including Casper Mountain and South Pass, which could see up to 20 inches of snow. Central and northwest Wyoming might get around a foot of snow.
Meteorologist Don Day from Cowboy State Daily calls it an “Oprah” storm. “You get snow, and you get snow, and you get snow,” he says. “Everyone’s getting some snow from this storm.”
How the snow will fall
The heavy snow won’t come down all at once. It will fall in waves. “Sometimes you’ll get breaks between snowfalls,” Day explains. “It won’t snow nonstop for 36 hours.” The first snow will hit southwest Wyoming on Wednesday evening. Areas like Afton, Lander, and Star Valley could see 5-12 inches of snow. The Lander foothills might get up to 15 inches.
Strong winds, up to 45 mph, will make it dangerous for travel. “South Pass and the Wind River Range could get a couple of feet of snow,” says Day. “People who live there will get at least a foot.”
Central Wyoming will get snow too
When the snow moves east, it will hit some of the driest parts of Wyoming. Central Wyoming is expected to get 9-12 inches of snow, with more in higher areas. Meteorologist Molly Gerhardt says, “The foothills and higher areas could get up to 20 inches.”
Even though it will be warmer in central Wyoming, temperatures between the high 20s and low 30s could make the snow heavy and wet. It might start melting as soon as it hits the ground. But for many, this storm will bring much-needed snow, especially in places like Wheatland, Torrington, and Douglas.
Parts of southeast Wyoming, including the Nebraska panhandle, will also get snow. Higher areas could see snow accumulation, but cities like Cheyenne and Laramie may only get a few inches.
Conditions will get worse fast
Once the storm hits, conditions will change quickly. The temperature will drop to the teens at night, and daytime highs will stay below freezing. Highways across Wyoming, like I-80, I-90, and I-25, will be impacted. Roads will be slick and visibility will be low.
Day says the storm will cause problems on I-25 between Cheyenne, Buffalo, and Sheridan. It will also affect roads around Casper, Riverton, and South Pass. Strong winds will make it even harder to drive, especially for high-profile vehicles. Wind gusts of 20 to 30 mph are possible across central Wyoming. Gerhardt advises drivers to take their time because snow and wind will reduce visibility.
Warm weekend to follow
Once the snow falls, warmer temperatures and sunshine will start melting it by Friday. “In typical March fashion, the snow will melt fast after the storm,” says Day. By Monday, the weather should be much better.
This storm will cause travel problems, but it will bring much-needed snow to areas that are dry. It’s going to be a rough few days, but the storm will help the state in the long run.
