Star Valley Weather: Winter Storm Update

Star Valley is on the verge of experiencing one of the strongest winter storms in some time. Snow has already started with an inch or two as of noon Sunday. While the snow will continue at times through Sunday night and then pick up on Monday as the intense cold upper trough approaches from the Pacific Northwest. Following is a statement issued from the Riverton Forecast Office.


...HIGH IMPACT WINTER STORM LIKELY TODAY THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT...

.A WINTER STORM WILL WILL MOVE INTO THE WEST TODAY AND BRING HEAVY
SNOW THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT. SNOW WILL BE HEAVY AT TIMES
WITH OVER TWO FEET POSSIBLE IN THE WESTERN MOUNTAINS. STRONG
WINDS WILL CAUSE CONSIDERABLE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. A SURGE
OF ARCTIC AIR WILL ARRIVE MONDAY NIGHT...DROPPING TEMPERATURES
SIGNIFICANTLY BUT DECREASING WIND SPEEDS. SNOW SHOULD BECOME LIGHT
AFTER THE PASSAGE OF THE FRONT ON TUESDAY.

STAR VALLEY-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...AFTON...ALPINE...THAYNE
234 AM MST SUN DEC 1 2013

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 AM
MST TUESDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN RIVERTON HAS ISSUED A WINTER
STORM WARNING FOR SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW...WHICH IS IN EFFECT
FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 5 AM MST TUESDAY. THE WINTER STORM
WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

* SUMMARY AND TIMING...LIGHT SNOW WILL BEGIN THIS MORNING AND
  BECOME STEADIER AND HEAVIER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE
  SNOWFALL WILL BECOME ESPECIALLY HEAVY MONDAY AFTERNOON AND NIGHT
  AS THE COLD FRONT PUSHES THROUGH. SNOW WILL BECOME LIGHT ON TUESDAY.

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...6 TO 12 INCHES IN ACROSS THE SOUTHERN STAR
  VALLEY INCLUDING AFTON WITH UP TO 15 INCHES IN THE NORTH.

* WIND AND VISIBILITY...WEST SOUTHWEST WINDS INCREASING TO 20 TO
  30 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. VISIBILITY WILL BE REDUCED TO UNDER
  ONE QUARTER MILE IN HEAVY SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW.

* IMPACTS...PERIODS OF HEAVY SNOW...BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW IN
  ADDITION TO STRONG WINDS WILL MAKE TRAVEL DIFFICULT. THOSE WITH
  OUTDOOR INTERESTS ARE URGED TO PREPARE FOR DIFFICULT TRAVEL...
  WHITEOUT CONDITIONS AND SHARPLY COLDER TEMPERATURES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER
CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING.  SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF
SNOW ARE FORECAST THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS. ONLY TRAVEL IN
AN EMERGENCY. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL...KEEP AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT...
FOOD...AND WATER IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.

THE LATEST ROAD CONDITIONS PROVIDED BY THE WYOMING DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION ARE AVAILABLE BY CALLING 5-1-1 OR ON THE INTERNET
AT WYOROAD.INFO.

Much of the snowfall will occur by late Monday, at which time the very cold air will pour southward across much of the area.

Following is a forecast graphic issued for the probability of a foot or more of snow falling by Tuesday evening.

The real story this week will be the COLD that will dominate through at least  the weekend. Following are a couple graphics with the forecast lows later this week.