Severe thunderstorms could bring hail, tornadoes and flooding to Albany County
Central Albany County was under warnings for 60 mph wind gusts, hail and flash flooding as storms threatened Laramie, Rock River and Elk Mountain.
Central Albany County was under a severe-thunderstorm warning for 60 mph wind gusts and penny-size hail, with radar-indicated hazards and damage expected to roofs, siding and trees. Hail damage to vehicles was expected for people parked outside in Laramie, along Highway 30 and on the county’s rural roads.
Severe-weather risk continued into Thursday, with numerous showers and thunderstorms expected and widespread strong winds the main threat. A marginal risk for excessive rainfall raised the chance of fast runoff in drainages, ponding on low-lying crossings and sudden flooding on roads used by ranchers, contractors and commuters moving between Albany County and southeast Wyoming.
Storm timing was the other key issue. Forecasters expected storms to develop after 2 p.m. and intensify through the late afternoon, with the threat extending into the evening. The area forecast discussion identified strong winds and heavy rainfall as the primary concerns, while large hail remained possible. By the evening of June 27, a tornado watch, a severe-thunderstorm watch and a flood advisory were in effect across parts of southeast Wyoming.
A June 24 severe-thunderstorm warning covered central Albany County and listed Rock River, Elk Mountain, Arlington and McFadden among the impacted locations. Another warning also pointed to Bosler and Baldy Peak. For anyone traveling toward Centennial, crossing open country east and south of Laramie, or working outside near the Snowy Range foothills, conditions could turn hazardous quickly if the storm track edged west or south.
On June 6, 2018, an isolated supercell north of Laramie produced an EF-3 tornado in the Albany County tornadoes. The damage assessment from that storm showed it crossed Highway 30, snapped wooden power poles, bent steel utility poles and scoured grass near County Road 121 and Cattle Drive.
The Cheyenne office’s hail climatology shows quarter-size hail is the most frequently documented hail size in its county warning area.
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