Home > News Archives > Feb 28-29, 2004 - Major Late February Snowstorm Brings Travel to a Halt

Major Late February Snowstorm Brings Travel to a Halt  

February 28-29, 2004 - An intense winter storm system moved slowly northeast out of the Great Basin into the Northern Rocky Mountains on Friday Night , and through the Cowboy State on Saturday.  Significant areas of snowfall broke out across southern Wyoming around 5 PM Friday, and spread north reaching the Wind River Basin by around 9:30 PM Friday.  On Saturday, a strong moist southerly flow continued to shift to the northeast and caused winds to turn northeasterly, increasing snowfall intensity in upslope favored areas, especially east of the Continental Divide (eastern Wind River Mountains, eastern Big Horn Mountains, and Casper Mountain).  Numerous area roads were closed on Saturday Morning including Wyoming 135 from Riverton to Sweetwater Station and Wyoming 287 from Sweetwater Station to Highway 789.  The following are snowfall totals as of 1PM Sunday, from this late February snowstorm.  The National Weather Service Forecast Office in Riverton would like to thank all of our spotters who helped make this report possible.

 
Snowfall Reports
February 28-29, 2004

*denotes remote SNOTEL site - snowfall determined by weighted water equivalent and average temperature
  Location Snowfall (inches)
 LINCOLN COUNTY  
 Fontenelle 6
 La Barge 5
 Kemmerer 2
 Fossil Butte 2
   
 WYOMING AND SALT RIVER MOUNTAINS  
 Triple Peak * 10
 Corral Canyon * 9
 Indian Creek * 6
 Snider Basin * 5
 Spring Creek Divide * 5
 Kelley Ranger Station * 3
 Salt River Summit * 2
 Hams Fork * 2
   
 SUBLETTE COUNTY  
 Big Piney (17 SW) 7
 Boulder 7
 Pinedale 6.5
 Big Piney 5-6
 Daniel 5-6
 Cora 4-5
 Bondurant 3
   
 SWEETWATER COUNTY  
 Wamsutter (35 N) 7
 Farson 4-6
 Table Rock (30 N) 4-6
 Wamsutter 3.5
 Flaming Gorge 1
   
 FREMONT COUNTY  
 Lander (10 S) 16
 Sixth Crossing 14.5
 Lander 14-17
 Jeffrey City 14
 Sweetwater Station 14
 Martin's Cove 13
 Riverton 11.5
 Crowheart (1 E) 8
 Riverton (30 N) 7
 Dubois (10 W) 6
 Dubois 5
   
 WIND RIVER MOUNTAINS  
 Townsend Creek * 27
 Saint Lawrence * 23
 South Pass * 23
 Hobbs Park * 21
 Deer Park * 20
 Cold Springs * 17
 White Pine Ski Area 6
 Little Warm * 5
   
 NATRONA COUNTY  
 Casper Mountain 12-14
 Casper 10-12
 Mills 11
 Casper (13 SW)  10
   
 JOHNSON COUNTY  
 Buffalo 9
 Buffalo (15 S) 6.5
 Kaycee (12 N) 4
 Mayoworth 4
 Barnum 3-4
 Kaycee 1
   
 BIG HORN MOUNTAINS  
 Buffalo (22 W) 25
 Cloud Peak Reservoir * 15
 Antelope Butte Ski Area 14
 Hansen Sawmill * 13
 Powder River Pass * 8
 Beartrap Meadow * 6
 Middle Powder * 6
 Grave Springs * 4
   
 BIG HORN BASIN & ABSAROKA MOUNTAINS  
 Thermopolis (6 SE) 12
 Grass Creek 6
 Sunlight Basin 6
 Cody 4-6
 Thermopolis 4-6
 Meeteetse 5
   
 

 

 
 
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