Wyoming residents should prepare themselves for the coldest and longest Arctic outbreak of the season so far this year beginning on Monday.
Wyoming Meteorologist Don Day issued a special weather statement on Sunday morning to detail the incoming cold front which could bring with it sub-zero temperatures for nearly a week in some areas.
Snow will accompany the cold air in some areas with areas along Interstate 80 likely to receive the heaviest of snow. But it’s the cold weather that has the meteorologist most concerned.
“We’ve had some cold weather at times this winter, but it’s never really lasted more than a day or two,” Day said. “This is going to last for five or maybe six days.”
Day said the conditions for livestock producers will be “very dangerous” at times and warned those in calving or lambing operations to be prepared for severe cold for multiple days in row.
The cold air will enter the state on Monday and by Tuesday nearly all of Wyoming will be enveloped by the Arctic air with temperatures in the from 20 below to 30 below being commonplace and the wind chill could bring temperatures down to 40 degrees below zero.
“By Tuesday morning, the upper level trough becomes more mature and the door to Canada opens up for Arctic air to spill into the state,” he said.
As a result, most of Wyoming will see sub-zero overnight temperatures for multiple nights in a row.
As for snow, areas in northern Wyoming could receive heavy snow from Sunday through Tuesday.
Interstate 80 will be affected as a snow is expected in southern Wyoming from Monday afternoon through Tuesday morning with some areas of Sweetwater, Carbon, and Albany counties receiving more than a foot of snow.
“Interstate 80 is going to get hit hard with heavy snow, wind, and Arctic conditions,” Day said.
