March Storm Updates

Red Cross opening shelter in Douglas at 4:30 PM

Red Cross of Wyoming will be opening a shelter at 4:30 PM at the Converse County National Guard Armory, 315 Pearson Rd. in Douglas to assist those people affected by the blizzard and the closure of I-25.

The Wyoming Army National Guard's Douglas, Wyoming, readiness center, has been opened as a temporary shelter for stranded motorists. The armory is located near the intersection of Interstate 25 and Wyoming Highway 59, at 315 Pearson Road.

For more information contact Disaster Program Manager Gehrig Haberstock at (307) 251-2231

The request to open the armory as a "Shelter in Place" location came from Converse County officials through the Wyoming Office of Homeland Security. It will remain available to motorists in need of shelter until it is no longer required.

UW Cancels Classes

March 13, 2019 -- Due to difficult travel conditions and worsening weather that is anticipated to continue into the evening, all University of Wyoming classes and labs will be canceled as of 1 p.m. today, Wednesday, March 13. The Wyoming Union, Half Acre Recreation and Wellness Center and Coe Library will remain open until 5 p.m. to continue to serve students. Washakie Center and the residence halls remain open. All other university activities and events are canceled at 5 p.m.

All non-essential staff will be dismissed at 1 p.m. The Early Childhood and Education Center will close at 2 p.m. to allow families to pick up their children. Those who have traveled to Laramie should carefully evaluate staying in Laramie until the highways open and it is safe to travel.

Campus is expected to be operating on a normal schedule tomorrow, Thursday, March 14. Changes to normal operating schedules are communicated using the UW Alert text message system. Faculty, staff and students should register for UW Alert at http://www.getrave.com/login/uwyo.

For up-to-date weather information, visit the National Weather Service storm watch for Albany County at: https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwaatmget.php?x=WYC001&y=1. For up-to-date road information, visit the Wyoming travel information website at http://www.wyoroad.info. Always check road conditions before extended travel.

Winter storm closes highways, schools, government offices

By The Wyoming News Exchange

Schools, businesses and government offices across southern and eastern Wyoming closed on Wednesday in the face of a strong winter storm expected to bring up to 20 inches of snow and high winds to the region.

And many planned to remain closed through Thursday as the major winter storm expected to leave up to 10 to 22 inches of snow across the region showed no sign of letting up Wednesday night.

A blizzard warning was in effect from Cheyenne east to Rawlins and north to the Montana border until Thursday evening, with the National Weather Service predicting snowfall of 10 to 22 inches of snow at lower elevations and up to 3 feet of snow above 8,500 feet.

Coupled with forecasts for winds of up to 65 mph, the weather service said the storm would create blizzard conditions throughout the region. Wind gusts were already topping 50 mph on in Cheyenne through most of Wednesday.

The storm forced the closure of Interstate 80 between Cheyenne and Rock Springs, along with Interstate 25 between Cheyenne and Buffalo. Interstate 80 from Rock Springs to the Utah border were open, but reported slick with snowfall and limited visibility. Accidents dotted the interstate between Cheyenne and Rawlins. The Wyoming Highway Patrol had no estimate as to when the roads might be opened again.

Most state and U.S. highways in southeastern Wyoming were also closed.

Gov. Mark Gordon, in a news release announcing the closure of state offices in Cheyenne, urged people in southeastern Wyoming to stay out of the weather.

“This storm has the potential to be particularly dangerous,” he said. “My advice is to stay put and shelter in place. Stay home, stay off the roads and stay safe and warm.”

Closures of Cheyenne schools and non-essential government offices were announced Tuesday as officials watched the approach of the storm.

“District officials typically do not cancel school based on a weather forecast,” the district said in a news release. “However, in this situation, anticipated storm impacts including heavy snow and sustained wind gusts will take place at the time when school would release. Our primary concern is the safety of our students, parents and staff.”

Also closed in Cheyenne were state offices and the Cheyenne Regional Airport.

Other closures included schools and government offices in Laramie, Casper, Newcastle, Wheatland, Chugwater, Glendo and Torrington. The University of Wyoming canceled its classes shortly after noon on Wednesday.

Although the university planned to open for classes on Thursday, several of the school districts decided to keep classes closed through Thursday.

As roads in and out of Cheyenne closed, truck drivers began pulling off the road to ride out the storm.

At the Flying J Travel Center south of Cheyenne, staff said the parking lot, which as room for 196 semi trucks, was full and that some trucks were parked along the road.

The snow was expected to taper off by Thursday morning, but the National Weather Service said brisk winds would continue until Friday when temperatures were expected to rise back to the mid-30s.