National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Critical Fire Weather in the High Plains; Heavy Snow in the Western Mountains and Northern Plains

Gusty winds and low relative humidity will bring critical fire weather to the central and southern High Plains Wednesday. Two Pacific storms will continue impacting the mountains of the western U.S. into Thursday with gusty winds and heavy snow. Heavy snow and gusty winds will continue to impact the northern Plains into the central Great Lakes Wednesday. Read More >

Quick Synopsis:

--Late February snowpack and/or SWEs were above average (105 to 115% of median) across almost all major basins in Wyoming.  The highest SWEs were over the Big Horn Mountains and the Sierra Madre Mountains (southern Wyoming).​

--Above average snow depths across western Wyoming.

--Above average soil moisture percentages across basins in northeastern Wyoming and potions of the Wind River Basin; below average soil moisture percentages across southern Wyoming.

--Widespread pine bark beetle damage (2010-2018) across the Upper North Platte, Little Snake, Laramie, and Wind River Basins.

--No significant precipitation trends during the spring runoff season (May – July).  Above average temperatures are expected across central to western Wyoming during the runoff season.

Highlights:

Low to Moderate potential for snowmelt runoff flooding is forecasted along the portions of the Laramie and the Salt River Basins (far western Wyoming)…

…All other of headwater basins across Wyoming can expect a generally Low potential for flooding due to springtime snowmelt runoff...

The current Wyoming Spring 2020 Snowmelt Runoff Flood Potential Outlook graphic:

 

Wyoming Spring Runoff 2020 Flood Potential Briefing: