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Extremely Critical Fire Weather in New Mexico; Enhanced Severe Thunderstorm Risk in Central U.S.

High winds and very dry conditions will bring extremely critical fire weather over a large part of New Mexico today. Red Flag and High Wind Warnings have been issued. Isolated to scattered severe thunderstorms may produce large to very large hail and localized damaging winds late this afternoon into evening from the eastern Central Plains to the Upper Midwest. Read More >

  Overview

A winter storm impacted portions of the Cowboy State for the final two days of 2018.  The winter storm began to impact western Wyoming Saturday evening, December 29th. Periods of heavy snow occurred late Saturday night and Sunday across far western Wyoming. As the winter storm was coming to an end across far western Wyoming late Sunday afternoon, it was just beginning across northern and central Wyoming. An Arctic cold front swept southward late Sunday afternoon and evening. In wake of this strong cold front, a combination of snow, strong northerly winds, and plunging temperatures were observed east of the Continental Divide. The combination of snow and strong wind caused considerable blowing and drifting of snow with whiteout conditions observed in rural areas. Several highways across central and northern Wyoming were closed Sunday night, and some did not open until early Monday afternoon, December 31st.  

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Storm Total Snowfall Map - Click to Enlarge
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Star Valley on December 30th Large snow drifts near Buffalo Monday morning Snapshot of Wyoming road closures
(red shading) as of 6 AM Monday
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