This last cold snap was a big one. But, not an odd one. After all, this is Wyoming.
But how’s this to end the month? In some parts of the state, the temperature got down to nearly 50 degrees below zero on Tuesday morning and in another part of the state, almost eight feet of snow fell.
Welcome to the Cowboy State.
Now that we’re thawing out from the latest Arctic blast, weather forecasters like to go back and say “this is how bad we got it.”
Kind of a badge of honor to make it through these things.
Really Cold
The top five coldest places in the state were all in western Wyoming. Grant Village in Yellowstone and Lucerne, Wyoming — which is halfway between Thermopolis and Kirby in Hot Springs County — tied for the gold medal with a low temperature on Tuesday morning of -47.
Daniel, Wyoming which is about 13 miles from Pinedale in Sublette County was next at -46.
While Hudson, Wyoming came in at -41 and Old Faithful registered -40.
Lots Of Snow
The heaviest snow, on the other hand, was in the eastern part of the state.
Snowmobilers were rejoicing over the weekend when they got bombarded in Snowy Range.
They weren’t kidding.
Official records show Medicine Bow Peak received 94 inches — or just two inches shy of eight feet — from January 26 – January 30.
North French Creek in the Snowy Range received six feet of snow in the same time period.
Whiskey Peak, above Muddy Gap, brought in almost six feet with 70 inches.
Little Snake River in the Sierra Madre Range recorded 68 inches while Blackhall Mountain got 56 inches of snow.
Bachman Turner Overdrive
If you run in to Wyoming meteorologist Don Day this time of year, he might sound a bit like the 70s rock band “Bachman Turner Overdrive.”
Because if the snow amounts are mentioned, he’ll immediately counter with “You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet.”
“It should be noted that the three driest months in Wyoming are December, January, and February,” Day said.
The two snowiest months in Wyoming aren’t even here yet.
Day said in many areas the snowfall received in January is among the highest ever. The 37 inches Casper has received so far is the snowiest since 1949, Lander’s 36 inches is the highest since 1947. Riverton’s 27.5 inches is the highest since 1919. And Rawlins’ 36 inches is the most since 1952.
Even Cheyenne’s 20.3 inches is higher than normal for January.
The snowiest months in Wyoming are March and April. It was two years ago right around St. Patrick’s Day, in fact, when Cheyenne got bombarded by nearly three feet of snow in a 24-hour period.
For all the newcomers to the state, Groundhog Day doesn’t mean anything in Wyoming — unless it’s like the movie: the same day over and over and over again.
Winter has just begun. Enjoy the thaw and buy some popcorn.
