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Features Reporter

Andrew Rossi

Andrew Rossi is a features reporter for Cowboy State Daily based in northwest Wyoming. He covers everything from horrible weather and giant pumpkins to dinosaurs, astronomy, and the eccentricities of Yellowstone National Park.

 Previously, Rossi was the News Director for Big Horn Basin Media in Cody. He earned several awards from the Wyoming Association of Broadcasters, including multiple awards for Best News Reporter and Best News Talk Show.

 A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Rossi previously worked at the Wyoming Dinosaur Center in Thermopolis. He has collaborated with Disney/Pixar, the BBC, The Washington Post, the Wyoming Office of Tourism, and several other national and international media outlets. He is also a cofounder of The Cody Theatre Company in Cody.

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Latest from Andrew Rossi

An aurora over Casper on Nov. 11, 2025.

Powerful Geomagnetic Storm Could Bring Aurora Shows To Wyoming Thursday And Friday

Scientists are excited about the possibility of colorful aurora shows on Thursday and Friday nights and Wyoming is in the target zone. Conditions for this event are being compared to May, 2024, which provided some of the most colorful shows in decades.

Andrew RossiJune 04, 2026

A pair of strong snowstorms that hit southern Wyoming in early May, the month was Jekyll and Hyde for moisture with the state still in various degrees of drought.

Despite Huge Storms During Jekyll-And-Hyde May, Much Of Wyoming Still In Drought

Despite huge storms in southern Wyoming, May was Jekyll and Hyde, either exceeding or falling short of moisture expectations — with much of the state still in drought. “It looks like it hasn’t rained for years in Thermopolis,” said meteorologist Don Day.

Andrew RossiJune 03, 2026

New research published by the Geological Society of America has revealed that Devils Tower is constantly moving. An international team of geologists determined that it's perpetually and ever-so-slightly swaying, twisting, and turning in the wind.

"It's Alive!": Scientists Say Devils Tower Is Constantly Moving

New research published by the Geological Society of America has revealed that Devils Tower is constantly moving. An international team of geologists determined that it's perpetually and ever-so-slightly swaying, twisting, and turning in the wind.

Andrew RossiMay 30, 2026

Someone has stolen a massive, 60-million-year-old piece of petrified wood from a storage unit in Powell. “My dad was always afraid someone would steal it,” said the daughter of the WWII pilot who treasured the artifact, which had become a family heirloom.

Huge 60-Million-Year-Old Petrified Log Stolen From Powell Family's Storage Unit

Someone has stolen a massive, 60-million-year-old piece of petrified wood from a storage unit in Powell. “My dad was always afraid someone would steal it,” said the daughter of the WWII pilot who treasured the artifact, which had become a family heirloom.

Andrew RossiMay 30, 2026

This screenshot from a video shows famous Yellowstone grizzly Beryl and her two cubs being harassed by someone flying a drone.

Man Shoots Video Of Illegal Drone Harassing Grizzly And Cubs In Yellowstone

Yellowstone visitors were furious after seeing an illegal drone harassing a grizzly bear and her two cubs. “Everybody was madder than hell,” said the man who got video of the incident. “If anybody caught them, they'd probably have strung them up.”

Andrew RossiMay 28, 2026

The Maverik gas station in Montrose, Colorado, can’t sell any diesel after someone dumped an RV’s waste tank into the station’s underground fuel tank this week. One avid RVer called the mistake “almost unbelievable … the dump stations are very obvious."

RV Driver Empties Waste Tank Into Colorado Gas Station's Diesel Supply

A Colorado Maverik station can’t sell any diesel after someone dumped an RV’s waste tank into the station’s underground diesel supply tank this week. One avid RVer said the mistake is “almost unbelievable … the dump stations are very obvious."

Andrew RossiMay 27, 2026

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Hikers Rescued From Death Canyon Shelf In Grand Teton National Park

Two hikers on a multi-day excursion were helicoptered to safety by Teton County Search and Rescue after becoming ill on Monday. “It sounded like they weren't prepared to hit as much snow as they did in the high country," one rescuer told Cowboy State Daily.

Andrew RossiMay 26, 2026

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Meteorologist Don Day Skeptical About Forecast For Wetter-Than-Normal Summer

Wyoming meteorologist Don Day is skeptical about a popular weather forecasting website’s prediction of a wetter-than-normal summer. “Beware the green blob,” he says about the forecast map and a hopeful, giant green shape covering Wyoming.

Andrew RossiMay 26, 2026

Meteorologist Don Day says reports of a Super El Niño brewing in the Pacific Ocean are ludicrous. An El Niño is coming and that will likely be beneficial for Wyoming. But anything stronger is too far out to predict and, at this point, just clickbait.

Meteorologist Don Day Says Don’t Lose Your Mind Over Possible Super El Niño

Meteorologist Don Day says reports of a Super El Niño brewing in the Pacific Ocean are ludicrous. An El Niño is coming and that will likely be beneficial for Wyoming, but anything stronger is too far out to predict and, at this point, just clickbait.

Andrew RossiMay 25, 2026

There were no documented eruptions of Old Faithful in Yellowstone for a day last week, when it normally blows every 94 minutes. That has people freaking out online assuming that means the world’s most famous geyser isn’t that faithful anymore.

Yellowstone's Old Faithful Is Not Broken, Despite No Documented Eruptions For Full Day

Although there were no documented eruptions of Old Faithful in Yellowstone for a full day last week, scientists are not concerned. Turns out the Old Faithful webcam was temporarily offline so that prevented people from documenting eruptions remotely.

Andrew RossiMay 25, 2026

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Watch, Wait, Worry: When You’re Stuck On I-80 During A Blizzard In Wyoming

Hundreds of people spent more than 15 hours on I-80 during a blizzard in south central Wyoming last week. All they could do was watch, wait and worry while rationing food and watching the fuel gauge. “That’s never happened to me before,” said a veteran trucker.

Andrew RossiMay 24, 2026

Some people still swear by slicing up your license plate tags to keep people from peeling them off, but it’s no necessary. Most thieves now are more likely to just “steal your whole dang license plate,” says a Cheyenne auto shop manager.

Forget Slicing Up Tags, Most Thieves Will Just Steal Whole Wyoming License Plate

Some people still swear by slicing up your license plate tags to keep people from peeling them off, but it may not be necessary. Most thieves now are more likely to just “steal your whole dang Wyoming license plate,” said one Cheyenne mechanic.

Andrew RossiMay 24, 2026

Other Authors

A newly described fossilized owl pellet from the Eocene Willwood Formation of Wyoming. The red box highlights a cluster of bones from an armored glyptosaurid lizard. Since lizards are diurnal, mostly active during the day, paleontologists believe this is evidence that the earliest owls were also diurnal, not nocturnal like their modern descendants.

Why 54-Million-Year-Old Owl Vomit Found In Bighorn Basin Is A Big Deal

A team of paleontologists that analyzed a 54-million-year-old fossilized chunk of owl vomit have learned that owls, famous for being nocturnal hunters, didn’t use to be. Owls ate lizards during the day, not rodents at night as they do now.

Andrew RossiMay 23, 2026

The Beartooth Highway wasn't open as scheduled Friday morning after more than a foot of heavy snow was cleared from its summit. The National Park Service "tentatively" hopes it will be open by Saturday morning. 

Beartooth Highway Opening Delayed By Snow, Should Be Ready Saturday

The Beartooth Highway wasn't open as scheduled Friday morning after more than a foot of heavy snow was cleared from its summit. The National Park Service said it “tentatively” hopes the entire 64 miles will be open to travelers by Saturday morning.

Andrew RossiMay 22, 2026

The Montana Department of Transportation had to rescue a driver from an SUV that crashed through a guardrail, toppled down an embankment and landed on the roof of a garage this week. Most people, however, say the real hero is the garage roof.

Montana Driver Falls Asleep, Crashes Through Guardrail And Lands On Roof

A driver in Montana was cited for careless driving Wednesday after falling asleep, crashing through a guardrail, driving down an embankment, and ending up on someone’s garage. Contractors applauded the construction of the garage for holding up.

Andrew RossiMay 22, 2026

Parts of Wyoming got up to 2 inches of water from this week’s storm that shut down I-80 and Rawlins for more than a day. But it wasn’t a drought-buster. “Getting rid of a drought is like eating an elephant — one bite at a time,” said meteorologist Don Day. Rawlins, pictured above, caught the brunt of the storm.

Storm Brings Up To 2 Inches Of Water, But Not Close To Busting Wyoming’s Drought

Parts of Wyoming got up to 2 inches of water from this week’s storm that shut down I-80 and Rawlins for more than a day. But it wasn’t a drought-buster. “Getting rid of a drought is like eating an elephant — one bite at a time,” said meteorologist Don Day.

Andrew RossiMay 21, 2026

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Rawlins Slowly Reopens After 36 Hours With No Power & Stranded Motorists On I-80

It took at 36 hours, but most of Rawlins had power restored Tuesday as a fast and furious spring snowstorm wreaked havoc in southcentral Wyoming. The Carbon County Sheriff's Office spent the day rescuing residents and helping snow-stranded drivers.

Andrew RossiMay 19, 2026

A WYDOT plow truck clears the westbound lane of I-80 between Rawlins and Wamsutter on Monday evening. Dozens of drivers were stuck on I-80 after both lanes between Rock Springs and Laramie were shut down for most of the day due to winter weather conditions, and at least one accident involving a WYDOT plow truck was reported. 

Motorists Stuck On I-80 Overnight As Snowstorm Shuts Down Southern Wyoming

A snowstorm shut down more than 200 miles of I-80 on Monday leaving motorists stranded for hours — some overnight — while killing power in Rawlins. “I figured I was going to be here until tomorrow morning,” said one trucker after 11 hours of waiting.

Andrew RossiMay 19, 2026

Snow at The Friendly Store in Centennial, Wyoming, on Monday, May 18, 2026

Snowstorm Shuts Down Southern Wyoming, Motorists Stranded On I-80 For Hours

Parts of southern Wyoming are shut down Monday by a snowstorm that’s closed Interstate 80, took out power grids, and stranded motorists for hours. In Centennial, residents report more than 24 inches of snow have fallen.

Andrew Rossi & Jimmy OrrMay 18, 2026

The 11,699-foot-tall Pilot Peak is one of the most famous mountains around Yellowstone, its sharp point making it one of Wyoming’s most recognizable. Known as a “mini-Matterhorn,” it's also one of the state's toughest climbs. This view is a climber high on the east face of Pilot Peak.

Pilot Peak Is One Of Yellowstone’s Most Famous Mountains, And Toughest To Climb

The 11,699-foot-tall Pilot Peak is one of the most famous mountains around Yellowstone, its sharp point making it one of Wyoming’s most recognizable. Known as a “mini-Matterhorn,” it's also one of the state's toughest climbs. 

Andrew RossiMay 17, 2026

Drivers on a Texas highway stopped under an overpass during a hailstorm caused a traffic jam and outraged people stuck out in the hail. It’s not legal, and trying that in Wyoming would get someone a ticket — or worse if they cause a crash.

No, You Can't Legally Park Under A Wyoming Overpass During A Hailstorm

No matter how tempting it is to park your car under an overpass during a hailstorm, it's illegal. Not only does it impede traffic but could cause major pileups. For emergency vehicles, not being able to get through could mean a matter of life or death.

Andrew RossiMay 16, 2026

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