By National Weather Service in Cheyenne, WY
A significant winter storm is on track to impact much of southeast Wyoming and the western Nebraska Panhandle over the next 24 to 48 hours.
The first wave of very heavy snowfall is expected tonight across portions of Carbon and Albany counties (Rawlins, Saratoga, Muddy Gap, Shirley Basin), eventually spreading into Converse and Niobrara counties (Douglas, Lusk) by early Sunday morning. These snow bands could be very intense with localized rates of 2 to 3 inches per hour. After a brief lull in snowfall intensity mid-day Sunday, more widespread moderate to locally heavy snowfall will spread across the entire region Sunday night and persist through Monday. This is the time period when far southeast Wyoming and the western Nebraska Panhandle will see most of their snow. While rates will not be as intense as the first wave further west, several inches of snow will be likely. Overall confidence in snowfall amounts is extremely low due to the banded nature of snow and some lingering questions regarding storm track. However, all signals point toward high probabilities of widespread 6 to 12 inch amounts across most of the area excluding the Laramie Valley which will be shadowed for the first part of the storm. Beneath heavier bands, 12 to 18 inches can be expected, with the highest potential for these totals being realized across Carbon, Northern Albany, Converse, and Niobrara counties. Higher ridges and mountain tops in northern Carbon County (Ferris/Seminoe Ranges) could receive 18-24 inches of snow from tonight through late Monday. The Snowys and Sierra Madres can expect 3 to 5 feet of new snow!
