Blizzard conditions causing road closures and dangerous travel

The Wyoming Department of Transportation closed some sections of interstates 80 and 25 and other highways Wednesday morning due to the winter storm that is now bombarding Wyoming.

Interstate 80 is closed between Rock Springs and Cheyenne as of 9:30 a.m. The closure is impacting either both lanes or the eastbound lane. For the latest on the closures and to find out what sections are closed, visit WYDOT’s 511 website.

Due to the nature of the storm, this is expected to be a prolonged closure on I-80 that will last overnight Wednesday into Thursday.

WYDOT also closed sections of I-25 due to the storm. The closures as of 9:30 a.m. run from Casper to Buffalo.

Other roads that are closed due to winter conditions include US 18, US 20, US 26, US 30, US 87, US 287, WYO 34, WYO 77, WYO 196, WYO 210, WYO 220, WYO 225, WYO 270, WYO 487 and WYO 789. Again, for the latest on the closures and to find out what sections are closed, visit WYDOT’s 511 website.

The storm started Tuesday evening with rain, sleet and snow. By Wednesday morning, the storm changed to snow with high winds. Blizzard conditions are expected to continue throughout the day in parts of the eastern side of the state.

The other parts of the state will also experience high winds and snowfall. The system is expected to produce snowfall amounts of 1 to 3 inches per hour in some locations, information from DayWeather indicated.

“This could be a once-in-a-decade-or-two storm if it materializes the way we think it will,” said Mark Heuer, meteorologist with DayWeather. “This storm is expected to be similar to the Thanksgiving blizzard of 1979 and the storm of March 23, 2003. This storm has the potential to strengthen into a record-strong storm.”

WYDOT has prepared for the storm by moving additional snow-removal equipment to interstates 80, 25 and 90 and other primary roads to help combat the major spring snowstorm.

WYDOT officials plan to shift the department’s equipment to the interstates and other high priority roads, generally from the northwest to the southeast. If necessary, WYDOT will hire private resources to help with snow-removal efforts. 

The following are some potential snowfall amounts throughout the state:

Wednesday

• On I-80 and I-25 in southeast Wyoming: 6 to 9 inches of snow with 9 to 12 inches possible. Blizzard and whiteout conditions are possible along this section of I-80 and I-25. Winds will be 45 to 60 mph.
• The central portion of I-80: 6 to 10 inches with 10 to 14 inches possible. The mountain passes could get as much as 18-plus inches of snow. Winds will be 25 to 45 mph.
• The western side of I-80: 1 to 3 inches with 3 to 5 inches possible. Winds will be 15 to 35 mph.
• Central Wyoming on I-25 near Casper: 4 to 8 inches with 8 to 12 inches a possibility. Winds could be anywhere from 25 to 40 mph.
• Along I-90 near Gillette: 3- to 6-inch range with 6 to 9 inches possible. Sheridan could get about 1 to 3 inches.
• The system is also expected to bring similar conditions and snowfall amounts to the surrounding two-lane highways.

Thursday

• Northeastern Wyoming: An additional 2 to 5 inches with 5 to 9 possible.
• East-central: 2 to 4 inches with 5 to 8 inches possible.
• Southeast: 1 to 3 with 3 to 5 inches possible.  
• Additional amounts are possible for the other primary roads.

Travelers should take extra precaution during the storm. They should:

• Visit WYDOT’s 511 website at http://wyoroad.info for the latest road and travel conditions so they can plan their trip accordingly.
• Make sure their cellphones are fully charged before traveling and their vehicles have a full tank of gas.
• Make sure they have an emergency kit in their vehicles that includes blankets, water and non-perishable food.
• Allow for extra time to get to their destinations when traveling.
• Not travel if they can delay their plans.

Besides getting the latest information on WYDOT’s 511 website, travelers can also download the 511 app to get real-time information from their smartphones and sign up for 511 Notify to get the latest road information by text or email.