Final Update* Storm Summary September 14-18

A series of cold fronts brought widespread precipitation amounts of 1 to 2 inches across the west from Monday through Thursday night.   Portions of the Star Valley and Yellowstone National Park received from 2 to over 3 inches of precipitation; the highest total of 3.07 inches was reported 5 miles north of Thayne in the Star Valley.  A strong cold frontal passage also resulted in some high winds across the area on Wednesday with an automated station 15 miles southeast of Rock Springs reporting a gust to 81 mph Wednesday afternoon. 

***** Final Update *****

Clouds parting at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort's Cody Bowl (elev. 10,450 ft.) Friday afternoon to reveal a winter wonderland in the last few days of summer.   Click to Enlarge	A 64 mph was recorded in Sinks Canyon on Wednesday morning.   Only 0.01 inches of rainfall fell Thursday afternoon in Sinks Canyon, and then the double rainbow!  Click to Enlarge

Click on map to enlarge

  

Precipitation Totals from Monday, September 14th through 7 AM Friday, September 18th County Station Name Rainfall Big Horn Mill Creek 0.57 Big Horn Shell 0.25 Big Horn 9 NNW Shell 0.15 Big Horn Lovell 0.12 Big Horn 2 SSW Lovell 0.12 Big Horn Deaver 0.10 Big Horn Hyatt High 0.08 Big Horn Greybull 0.03 Big Horn Greybull ASOS 0.01 Fremont Raspberry 1.23 Fremont 10 WNW Dubois 0.52 Fremont Elkhorn 0.27 Fremont Dubois 0.24 Fremont Anderson Ridge 0.14 Fremont Wind River 0.11 Fremont Camp Creek 0.09 Fremont Atlantic City 0.08 Fremont Riverton 0.5 NW 0.03 Fremont 9 SSE Lander 0.03 Fremont 6 SW Lander 0.03 Fremont Burris 0.03 Fremont Jeffrey City 0.02 Fremont Riverton 0.01 Fremont Riverton ASOS 0.01 Hot Springs 9 NE Thermopolis 0.06 Johnson School House 0.10 Johnson Buffalo ASOS 0.10 Johnson 12 SSE Buffalo 0.06 Johnson 17 NNW Kaycee 0.01 Lincoln 5 NNE Thayne 3.07 Lincoln 3 NW Etna 2.92 Lincoln Star Valley Ranch 2.81 Lincoln 2 SE Thayne 2.75 Lincoln 1 S Bedford 2.28 Lincoln 5 SSE Smoot 1.98 Lincoln Afton 1.92 Lincoln 1 SW Afton 1.86 Lincoln Kelly 1.67 Lincoln Etna 1.42 Lincoln Fossil Butte 1.10 Lincoln 3 WNW Kemmerer 0.95 Lincoln 3 SE Bedford 0.94 Lincoln 5 SSE La Barge 0.39 MONTANA Soda Butte 1.12 Natrona 11 ESE Casper 0.05 Natrona 5 SSW Casper 0.03 Natrona 7 SSW Casper 0.02 Natrona 12 NE Lysite 0.02 Natrona Casper Mountain 0.01 Natrona 10 WSW Casper 0.01 Park Quadrant 2.92 Park Pahaska 1.12 Park Cabin Creek 0.90 Park Eagle 0.57 Park Crandall 0.30 Park 26 SW Cody 0.27 Park 2 WSW Cody 0.12 Park Rattlesnake Mountain 0.12 Park Cody 0.09 Park 3 NE Sunshine 0.07 Park 4 SE Cody 0.05 Park 5 ESE Cody 0.03 Park 3 NE Clark 0.03 Park Meeteetse 0.02 Park Cody 0.01 Park 2 SW Powell 0.01 Park 4 SW Powell 0.01 Park 7 SW Cody 0.01 Sublette Hoback 1.45 Sublette 15 WNW Daniel 1.35 Sublette 14 NW Pinedale 1.08 Sublette Bondurant 1.03 Sublette Daniel Fish Hatchery 1.03 Sublette Half Moon 0.95 Sublette Snider Basin 0.94 Sublette Pinedale 0.91 Sublette Pinedale 1NE 0.57 Sublette 13 SE Pinedale 0.30 Sublette Big Piney ASOS 0.24 Sublette Boulder Rearing Station 0.10 Sweetwater Rock Springs ASOS 0.33 Sweetwater 4 NNW Rock Springs 0.28 Sweetwater Green River 0.23 Sweetwater Rock Springs 0.22 Sweetwater 5 N Farson 0.19 Sweetwater Wamsutter 0.19 Sweetwater Snow Springs Creek 0.17 Sweetwater 8 NNW Rock Springs 0.15 Sweetwater 1 SE Green River 0.11 Sweetwater McKinnon 0.11 Sweetwater Buckboard Marina 0.06 Teton Bechler 2.50 Teton Jackson 2.32 Teton 12 NE Jackson 2.29 Teton 2 NE Teton Village 2.17 Teton Moose 2.17 Teton Burro Hill 2.06 Teton Coyote Meadows 2.04 Teton 5 NW Jackson 2.03 Teton 4 SW Jackson 1.96 Teton Grand Teton 1.88 Teton Jackson Dam 1.80 Teton South Park 1.69 Teton Hoback Junction 1.28 Teton 1 NNW Alta 1.24 Washakie Leigh Creek 0.25 Washakie Worland 0.24 Washakie Winchester 0.22 Washakie 27 S Ten Sleep 0.20 Washakie Worland ASOS 0.10 Washakie Ten Sleep 0.10 Washakie 2 NE Worland 0.10 Washakie 8 SW Worland 0.08 Washakie 5 NNW Ten Sleep 0.07 Washakie 16 SSE Ten Sleep 0.04 Washakie Split Rock Creek 0.03 Yellowstone Old Faithful Ranger Station 2.33 Yellowstone Snake River Ranger Station 1.82 Yellowstone Bechler River Ranger Station 1.76 Yellowstone Grebe 1.54 Yellowstone Lake Yellowstone ASOS 1.28 Yellowstone Yellowstone East Entrance 1.20 Yellowstone Tower Falls Ranger Station 0.97 Yellowstone Yellowstone Mammoth 0.67

A cold front brought some strong winds across the area on Wednesday, September 16th.  Locations that recorded wind gusts over 45 mph are included in the following table: 

Wednesday September 16th Notable Wind Gusts

County	Location	Wind Gust (mph)
Fremont	Red Canyon	73
Fremont	9 SW Lander (Sinks Canyon)	64
Fremont	3 NNW Hudson	54
Fremont	10 W Fort Washakie	51
Fremont	2 W South Pass City	50
Fremont	7 SW Muddy Gap	48
Fremont	Jeffrey City	48
Fremont	Riverton Airport	48
Hot Springs	Boysen Peak	51
Hot Springs	10 S Meeteetse	47
Johnson	25 ESE Buffalo	53
Johnson	12 N Kaycee	50
Lincoln	Mt. Coffin	62
Lincoln	Kemmerer Airport	54
Lincoln	13 W Kemmerer	48
Lincoln	Deadman Mountain	45
Natrona	2 SE Hiland	63
Natrona	16 S Hiland	58
Natrona	20 N Casper	55
Natrona	8 S Casper	53
Natrona	Casper Airport	51
Natrona	Casper Outer Drive	51
Natrona	Midwest	49
Natrona	7 W Alcova	48
Park	Chief Joseph Hwy	49
Park	Hoyt Peak	48
Park	8 N Meeteetse	46
Sweetwater	15 SE Rock  Springs	81
Sweetwater	I 80 - Mile Marker 184	50
Sweetwater	I 80 - Mile Marker 157	47
Sweetwater	McKinnon	45
Sweetwater	5 E Rock Springs	45
Teton	Teton Saddle	70
Washakie	South Bighorn Mountains	48

Preliminary Rainfall Reports for September 16 2015

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY
1157 AM MDT WED SEP 16 2015


...PRELIMINARY RAINFALL REPORTS FROM NOON MONDAY TO NOON WEDNESDAY...

LOCATION                     AMOUNT    TIME/DATE       ELEVATION

...LINCOLN COUNTY...
SALT RIVER ABOVE PALISADES   2.57 IN   0930 AM 09/16   5676 FT
THAYNE 4.7 NNE               2.45 IN   0100 PM 09/16   6350 FT
STAR VALLEY RANCH 0.3 WNW    1.98 IN   0845 AM 09/16
BEDFORD                      1.92 IN   1136 AM 09/16   6279 FT
THAYNE 1.5 SE                1.86 IN   0700 AM 09/16
4 NE THAYNE                  1.48 IN   1134 AM 09/16   6217 FT
THAYNE                       1.43 IN   1137 AM 09/16   5928 FT
SMOOT 4.9 SSE                1.34 IN   0700 AM 09/16
3 NW ETNA                    1.29 IN   1142 AM 09/16   5692 FT
ETNA                         1.25 IN   1140 AM 09/16   5823 FT
15 NE COKEVILLE              1.16 IN   1100 AM 09/16   8470 FT
AFTON                        1.09 IN   1132 AM 09/16   6267 FT
AFTON 0.5 SW                 1.01 IN   0700 AM 09/16
SMITHS FORK NEAR BORDER      0.91 IN   1130 AM 09/16   6650 FT

...BIG HORN COUNTY...
SHELL                        0.05 IN   0602 AM 09/16   4285 FT
LOVELL 0.4 S                 0.01 IN   0700 AM 09/16

...FREMONT COUNTY...
N WIND RIVER MTS             0.92 IN   1110 AM 09/16   8833 FT
10 W DUBOIS                  0.34 IN   1151 AM 09/16   8432 FT
6 NW DUBOIS                  0.26 IN   1115 AM 09/16   7189 FT
DUBOIS 9.7 WNW               0.24 IN   0715 AM 09/16
10 N DUBOIS                  0.18 IN   1057 AM 09/16   8085 FT
8 W SOUTH PASS CITY          0.09 IN   0950 AM 09/16   8120 FT
7 SW MUDDY GAP               0.07 IN   0950 AM 09/16   7380 FT
DUBOIS                       0.07 IN   0600 AM 09/16   6955 FT
10 W FORT WASHAKIE           0.05 IN   1101 AM 09/16   9235 FT
BURRIS                       0.03 IN   0600 AM 09/16   6120 FT
1 W RIVERTON                 0.03 IN   0700 AM 09/16
DUBOIS                       0.02 IN   1139 AM 09/16   6980 FT
JEFFREY CITY                 0.02 IN   0700 AM 09/16   6320 FT
RIVERTON                     0.01 IN   0700 AM 09/16   4950 FT

...JOHNSON COUNTY...
KAYCEE 17 NNW                0.01 IN   0700 AM 09/16


...NATRONA COUNTY...
CASPER 9.7 WSW               0.01 IN   0700 AM 09/16

...PARK COUNTY...
QUADRANT                     1.77 IN   0949 AM 09/16   7900 FT
TANTALUS CREEK NEAR NORRIS J 1.56 IN   0930 AM 09/16   7460 FT
1 SW CANYON                  0.98 IN   0949 AM 09/16   7900 FT
3 ENE NORTHEAST ENTRANCE     0.75 IN   1145 AM 09/16   7360 FT
14 S SYLVAN PASS             0.54 IN   1108 AM 09/16   8650 FT
TOWER FALLS                  0.51 IN   0800 AM 09/16   6266 FT
EAST ENTRANCE YELLOWSTONE NP 0.44 IN   0630 AM 09/16   6951 FT
PAHASKA                      0.33 IN   0700 AM 09/16   6696 FT
3 E PAHASKA                  0.31 IN   1057 AM 09/16   7500 FT
CHIEF JOSEPH HWY MILE 9      0.13 IN   1112 AM 09/16   6640 FT
20 SW CODY                   0.10 IN   1144 AM 09/16   5843 FT
CODY 25.7 SW                 0.08 IN   0700 AM 09/16
CODY 2.4 WSW                 0.04 IN   0630 AM 09/16
CODY - COOP                  0.03 IN   0738 AM 09/16   5085 FT
6 SW MEETEETSE               0.01 IN   0710 AM 09/16   6238 FT
MEETEETSE 0.2 NNE            0.01 IN   0900 AM 09/16
CODY                         0.01 IN   0700 AM 09/16

...SUBLETTE COUNTY...
PORTABLE RAWS                1.54 IN   1055 AM 09/16   8503 FT
BONDURANT                    1.19 IN   1100 AM 09/16   6650 FT
2 NW BONDURANT               1.13 IN   0951 AM 09/16   6726 FT
DANIEL 15.6 WNW              0.75 IN   0700 AM 09/16
7 NE PINEDALE                0.71 IN   1126 AM 09/16   8530 FT
21 W BIG PINEY               0.62 IN   1109 AM 09/16   8200 FT
PINEDALE 13.8 NW             0.62 IN   0655 AM 09/16
7 SE PINEDALE                0.35 IN   0932 AM 09/16
MARBLETON                    0.30 IN   1057 AM 09/16   6896 FT
PINEDALE 13 SE               0.30 IN   0700 AM 09/16
9 E BIG PINEY                0.27 IN   1100 AM 09/16   6803 FT
BOULDER REARING STATION - CO 0.16 IN   0800 AM 09/16   6940 FT

...SWEETWATER COUNTY...
ROCK SPRINGS 4.4 NNW         0.26 IN   0700 AM 09/16
ROCK SPRINGS 0.6 W           0.20 IN   0615 AM 09/16
GREEN RIVER                  0.18 IN   0700 AM 09/16   6133 FT
ROCK SPRINGS 0.5 E           0.17 IN   0630 AM 09/16
ROCK SPRINGS 0.9 S           0.17 IN   0600 AM 09/16
15 ESE POINT OF ROCKS        0.15 IN   1100 AM 09/16   6720 FT
22 NNE GRANGER               0.12 IN   0958 AM 09/16   6322 FT
ROCK SPRINGS 7.6 NNW         0.10 IN   0700 AM 09/16
MCKINNON                     0.07 IN   1136 AM 09/16   7086 FT
FARSON - COOP                0.07 IN   0700 AM 09/16   6675 FT
FLAMING GORGE - BUCKBOARD MA 0.04 IN   0745 AM 09/16   6080 FT

...TETON COUNTY...
EXTREME SW YELLOWSTONE       2.04 IN   0949 AM 09/16   6400 FT
4 N MOOSE                    1.84 IN   1058 AM 09/16   6730 FT
JACKSON 12.2 NE              1.83 IN   0700 AM 09/16
MOOSE - COOP                 1.81 IN   0800 AM 09/16   6445 FT
BECHLER RANGER STATION - COO 1.76 IN   0800 AM 09/16   6430 FT
JACKSON - COOP               1.75 IN   0900 AM 09/16   6210 FT
TETON VILLAGE 1.6 NE         1.72 IN   0700 AM 09/16
7 E MORAN JCT                1.60 IN   0952 AM 09/16   7251 FT
COYOTE MEADOWS               1.59 IN   1103 AM 09/16   6830 FT
JACKSON                      1.57 IN   1145 AM 09/16   6247 FT
JACKSON 3.5 SSW              1.57 IN   0822 AM 09/16
2 ENE WILSON                 1.50 IN   1141 AM 09/16   6184 FT
OLD FAITHFUL                 1.41 IN   0800 AM 09/16   7360 FT
SNAKE RIVER AT JACKSON LAKE  1.37 IN   0745 AM 09/16   6779 FT
4 SW JACKSON                 1.35 IN   1143 AM 09/16   6073 FT
3 SSW JACKSON                1.33 IN   1142 AM 09/16   6158 FT
PORTABLE RAWS                1.23 IN   0951 AM 09/16   6195 FT
HOBACK JUNCTION              1.11 IN   1137 AM 09/16   5928 FT
LAKE YELLOWSTONE             0.95 IN   0556 AM 09/16   7835 FT
ALTA                         0.94 IN   1045 AM 09/16   6430 FT
SNAKE RIVER RANGER STATION   0.92 IN   0800 AM 09/16   6882 FT
PORTABLE RAWS                0.66 IN   1135 AM 09/16   6178 FT
MORAN JUNCTION               0.55 IN   1138 AM 09/16   6749 FT

...WASHAKIE COUNTY...
WORLAND 14.4 SW              0.09 IN   0630 AM 09/16
TEN SLEEP 4.8 NNW            0.01 IN   0700 AM 09/16

Smoke Returns to Star Valley

Jim Steensburg of the U of U in his blog pinpoints the source of smoke back into Northern Utah and also Western Wyoming including Star Valley

Smoke from California Fires

By Jim S

The past few days have been beautiful in northern Utah, but a shift in the flow late yesterday and overnight has brought a return of smoke to the Salt Lake Valley.

Below is a comparison of yesterday morning (top) and this morning (bottom).  Things aren't too bad yet, but there's been a noticeable decline in visibility between the two days.

The primary source of the smoke appears to be California, although we may have some from Oregon or Idaho mixed in just for good measure.  The MODIS image below shows the leading edge pushing into northern Utah late yesterday.

Dealing with a little smoke is a minor inconvenience for us.  One California fire, the Butte Fire, has grown rapidly from 100 acres on Wednesday to 65,000 acres this morning with 132 structures destroyed.

Active Wyoming Fires September 9th

Star Valley Summer Summary

Now that it is September with Fall fast approaching, it is a good time to look back at some of the data from the Star Valley summer.  The hottest period was the end of June with a late July frost/freeze in some of the colder valley locations.

Thayne Elementary School recorded the hottest temperature in the valley on the 29th of June when the mercury hit 100. Thayne ES and the Double L Ranch station both dipped below freezing.  Thayne ES was 31 on the morning of August 23rd, while Double L also had a 31 on July 28th.  Upper 20s and frost  occurred at many colder valley locations on July 28th.

Rainfall was spread throughout the 3 summer months with generally near or a little more than 5 inches measured much of the valley.  Following are some of the statistics from the observing sites.

Station                  High          Date         Low         Date
Thayne ES            100          June 29       31           Aug 23
Etna  ES                 97          June 29       32           Jul 28/Aug 23
Star Valley Ranch  91          June 29       35           Jul 28
Bedford 2S             91          June 29       34           Jul 28
Double L Ranch     94          June 29       31           Jul 28

Precipitation June/July/August
Star Valley Ranch    5.58
Bedford  3SE            5.10
Smoot 5S                  4.99
Thayne 1SE               4.88