No, it's not going to be anything like that monster record snowstorm that clobbered Cheyenne four years ago in March when nearly three feet of snow paralyzed the city for days.
But a big incoming cold front that could bring heavy snow, colder temperatures and 55 mph winds have resulted in a Winter Storm Watch being posted for southeast Wyoming and northwest Nebraska on Monday afternoon through Tuesday evening.
It's a fast-moving storm so the impact will be brief, said Cowboy State Daily meteorologist Don Day.
But, by the time it’s over, several inches of snow could cover Cheyenne and Laramie, and wind gusts of up to 55 mph could blow it across the I-80 corridor. This impactful burst of winter weather will make travel hazardous overnight.
“It’s a combination of falling temperatures, wind, and snow all coming together at once,” Day said. “It’s a very typical March snowstorm, where it’s nice and mild ahead of it, and suddenly gets cold, windy, and wet.”
Timeline And Totals
It’ll be a mild morning in southeast Wyoming on Monday. Conditions will not change until the afternoon, when the cold front crosses the Continental Divide and brings its cold and moisture to the region.
“Any showers that pop up in the afternoon will still be rain, which will transition to snow sometime during the evening hours as the front moves west to east,” said meteorologist Shelby Fuller with the NWS Office in Cheyenne. “Luckily, this isn’t an Arctic front, but it’ll bring us our next round of winter weather.”
Between Monday evening and Tuesday afternoon, temperatures will drop, and snow will accumulate, especially on the high-elevation sections of I-80 between Laramie and Sydney, Nebraska.
Fuller said details are “still being ironed out” but it will be a marked difference from the sunny, 64-degree highs on Sunday.
“It looks like there could be anywhere from one to three inches in Laramie and Cheyenne,” she said. “The Snowy and Sierra Madre ranges can expect some decent snowfall, and some lower locations could see six inches or more.”
Fuller said the current forecast indicates banded snow across southeast Wyoming. That means some areas will get dusted while others receive differing amounts of heavy snow.
“It definitely won’t be light, fluffy snow like we’ve seen with Arctic fronts, but it won’t be a slushy spring snow either,” she said. “Most of that snow will fall overnight, with the highest amounts for cities along the I-80 corridor.”
The NWS anticipates wind gusts of up to 55 mph between Monday evening and Tuesday morning. Day said this will be the timeframe for the most significant travel hazards, especially for drivers on interstate highways.
“The storm will intensify over eastern Wyoming on Monday night,” he said. “That’s when the wind will start, and southeast Wyoming will have the worst impacts. Travel problems on I-80 and I-25 are likely. It’s not a terrible large storm and moving fairly quickly, but it will upend this spell of warmer, milder weather.”
Wind Watch
While southeast Wyoming will experience the worst of this winter system, the rest of the state will still see some noticeable impacts. Strong wind gusts as the system moves eastward on Monday will be the biggest concern for western and central Wyoming.
“The cold front will reach the Worland - Buffalo line by 9 a.m., make its way toward the Wind River Canyon by 11 a.m., and progress to Casper and Lander by 3 p.m.,” said meteorologist Chris Jones with the NWS Office in Riverton. “We’ll see wind gusts between 30 to 40 mph behind the cold front.”
Temperatures will dip into the 30s and high 20s in western and central Wyoming as the cold front moves across the state. That’s a noticeable drop, especially since temperatures have stayed above average for the last week.
“It’ll be cooler than what we’ve been enjoying, but not unusual,” Jones said.
Meanwhile, snow accumulation in the lower elevations will be minimal across western and central Wyoming.
“There could be as much as six inches in the mountains,” Jones said. “Valleys and foothills will see an inch or so, while the lower elevations will get half an inch or less. Wind will be the biggest deal for most of Wyoming.”
The Wet Season
Southeast Wyoming can get the short end of the stick regarding winter moisture. According to the Wyoming Water Resources Data System, the snow water equivalent across southeast Wyoming ranges from 95% to 47%.
This week’s winter system will bring welcome wetness to the areas that need it most.
“Goshen, Laramie, and Platte Counties have been really dry since last summer,” Day said. “This will bring some much-needed moisture, but it’s going to be impactful.
Temperatures will rebound after this winter system passes, but that doesn’t mean spring is on the horizon. Lander Lil might not have accurately assessed the remaining weeks of winter, but Wyoming’s wet season has just begun and more winter weather is brewing on the horizon.
“A second storm is going to affect a larger part of Wyoming on Thursday and Friday,” Day said. “It won’t have as much wind with it, but a lot of the state will get snowed on. This week will be a one-two punch of winter weather.”
The driest months of Wyoming – December, January, and February—immediately give way to the wettest months of the year. This year, March is coming in like a lion, keeping the extended forecast busy with more snow, wind, and cooler temperatures.
“March, April, and May are the wettest months of the year for areas east of the Continental Divide,” Jones said.
“It won’t be unusual to see low elevation snow through May, and we’ll get heavier snow in March and April. The good news is that the impacts typically don’t last as long with a higher sun angle and conditions improve much more quickly.”
Andrew Rossi can be reached at arossi@cowboystatedaily.com.
