The Worst Storms Of The Decade In Southeast Wyoming
The last decade of weather in southeastern Wyoming came in with a whisper and went out with a bang. Here's a look back at the biggest storms of the past ten years.
The 2019 "Bomb Cyclone" was arguably the worst storm of the decade, shutting down the entire region on March 13th and 14th. The storm set a new record with 14.6 inches of snow in Cheyenne, which combined with 60 mile-per-hour wind gusts to create hazardous traveling conditions.
This year's Thanksgiving week blizzard was one of the biggest fall storms on record, dumping 12.5 inches on Cheyenne on November 26th along with dangerous sub-zero wind chills.
May 17, 2017, another spring storm wreaked havoc in the Rockies. Snowfall totals ranged from 12 inches in Cheyenne up to 32 inches in the Snowy Range, making it one of the largest late-season blizzards ever.
March 23, 2016, ranks among the snowiest days in Cheyenne history, with nearly 14 inches in some areas and powerful wind gusts that close area highways for two days.
The Mother's Day Blizzard on May 11, 2014, was also one of the worst storms this decade. Cheyenne got 13 inches of snow, forcing the closure of I-80 and I-25.
Of course, Mother Nature's fury isn't limited to snow and wind. July 19, 2011, four people died outside of Saratoga when a flash flood caused the Brush Creek to overflow and washed away a section of State Highway 130.
June 3, 2015, another storm caused major flooding in Niobrara County, leaving the towns of Lusk and Manville under several feet of standing water.
Southeast Wyoming has also had several tornadoes and severe hail storms in the last decade. July 27, 2016, Pine Bluffs was devastated by baseball-sized hailstones, which damaged nearly every home and business in town. Two days later, another hailstorm hit the region, injuring several visitors at Cheyenne Frontier Days.
Stormchasers flocked to Chugwater on July 4th this year, where a powerful supercell storm produced several tornadoes. Luckily, no injuries or property damage was reported.
The strongest tornado of the decade touched down north of Laramie on June 6, 2018. With wind speeds up to 150 miles per hour, the twister was designated as an F3 tornado and damaged several homes in the Antelope Ridge Loop neighborhood.