Is Winter Over for Lander/Riverton? (Laramie, Rawlins: tornadoes, to move, farmers)

[Raskolnikov]

I'm not in Wyoming now, but have been looking at the weather and it seems unseasonably warm. I thought all the big snows usually happened in March, but it was in the 60's yesterday! I'm coming back up there soon, and was hoping for snow. I have very little experience with Wyoming weather so my question is: has Spring Sprung? Or, is there the potential of a snowfall and below-freezing temperatures again before spring really begins?

[WyoNewk]

It's been an unusually warm, short winter so far with May-like March weather, and that's not just in Wyoming but all across the country with early tornadoes and record-breaking high temperatures. I fear for the trees that are starting to bud a month early.

I would have never predicted the March we've had so far, and I won't predict the end of it nor April weather except to say I'd be very surprised if we don't get more heavy snows this season. The weatherman is forecasting very warm weather throughout this week, however, with highs in the 60s and 70s the later part of the week.

[sunsprit]

Down here in SE Wyoming we've got similar warm daytime temps and are seeing the alfalfa break dormancy about 2 weeks earlier than average. At that, overnight temps are still well below freezing.

But it only takes a couple of storm fronts to move through Wyoming over the next months to completely change the snowpack and ground moisture levels. It's anybody's guess what will happen. The only thing you can count on is that there will be more winter weeks with variable moisture and temperature patterns ... all the way through April. As WyoNewk points out, warmer snow storms can produce some of the heaviest snowfalls we get.

[wyo_pastor]

The weather has been very unusual this year, but I agree that there will probably be at least one or more heavy snows. I always look for at least one more heavy snow in May.

[moose13]

Currently snowing in Rawlins. I never second guess the weather here. My son was born in April and luckily we went to Laramie the day before as a blizzard came through and closed I-80 for 2 days. I wouldn't break out the lawn furniture quite yet.

[bawha]

Don't blink.... we have a breeze out of the north which usually sets the table for a lot of snow/rain.

It has been a very mild winter, but I don't think we are snow free until next fall by any means. In fact, we could really use a couple of heavy wet snows yet this spring just to get some much needed moisture in the ground.

[Wyomama2]

Farmers Almanac predicted an unusually dry winter in this area this year.

[NDak15]

It's been unusually mild but winter is almost never over in Wyoming until May at the very earliest.

[CptnRn]

Lander, Wyoming
Last Frost Date (Spring 2012): 6/6
First Frost Date (Fall 2012): 9/13
Average Growing Season: >105 days

[branDcalf]

I was with a group of long time residents today. They told me about getting 40 inches of snow one April. That was after having an "open winter" like we had this year.

I never count winter done until... well, I'm never surprised by snow.