Wyoming winter VS. Minnesota winter (Casper: live, place, summers)

[lusaka]

I may decide to move to Cheyenne.I've been following the temps on my computer.Yes,it can get below zero for a high for many days,but it seems to get warmer in a hurry.Am I right? And someone please tell me about the wind.I read it can be very bad.

[sunsprit]

The comparative weather between many areas of the USA has been an ongoing discussion on several areas of C-D threads.

IMO, Wyoming has a harsher winter than most of the USA.

What folk moving into this area don't seem to understand is that this is a high altitude area and in a prevailing jet stream area that brings in artic air masses either from Canada or from the Pacific Northwest.

The normal lapse rate of 3.5 F per thousand feet applies to this area. NOAA reports several locations in Wyoming (out of 7,200 official weather reporting stations) as being in the top 20 coldest places in the USAA. Only one of those stations (Int'l Falls, MN) is below the high altitude land mass and is in the top 20 coldest places.

Even though Wyoming is further south than other areas of the USA, it's not buffered by coastal exposure at sea level. Essentially, the Rocky Mountains channel the stronger high altitude winds into surface turbulence winds, which brings the cold layers down to the surface along with gusty winds for much of the year. Those higher elevation winds over much of the USA land mass don't have anything in their path, so continue horizontally over the lands below without incident.

Folk move here from areas of the USA where they believe they've been experiencing harsh cold winters. For many of them, the reality of the cold and strong winds here is a combination that isn't as livable as where they came from. Indeed, over the years that I've been in this region, I've seen a lot of such folk move here and leave in their first winter, in sheer disbelief that Wyoming could be so much more difficult to get through a winter. The "two and gone" phenomenon is commonplace. Folk have a Disneyiz'ed expectation of what Wyoming is like everywhere and the reality is starkly disappointing unless you can afford to move to Jackson or another high dollar community in the midst of the mountain areas.

Cold air masses can prevail here for weeks at a time, and it's not unusual to see double digit below zero F temps for overnight and not reach 0 F the next day, even in strong sunshine. We've already had such a weather pattern here in Cheyenne this fall for a week, although it is not common. Temps have been back up to the high 40's/low 50's, but that's forecast to end in a couple of days and back to more seasonal temps soon.

Along with this, Cheyenne has some of the highest average wind energy density in the USA. That means that strong gusty winds must prevail for a lot of the time. We've had several days now of 50+ MPH gusty winds, and it wouldn't be unusual to see 75+ MPH gusts. CDOT shut down I-25 from just north of Ft Collins to the Wyoming border a few days ago due to the strong gusts, and Wyoming posted "no light trailers" advisories for the border to Cheyenne ... along with I-80 westward to Laramie warnings. The winds here can frequently reach into hurricane velocities for days on end, and it's not a continuous wind, it's repeated insataneous wind gusts that pack the punch. The wind hammers structures, fences, roofs, vehicles, and ... people. It's not uncommon to have to struggle with walking in the wind, and you learn to hold onto your car door when you open it if the car isn't pointed into the wind. I've seen the blades blown off of wind generators (megawatt Sulzer's) here that were rated for 100 mph winds.

Much of how you perceive the Wyoming (Cheyenne) winter conditions will be based upon your tolerance and acceptance of cold weather becoming a big factor in what you can and choose to do in your daily activities. As always, my advice to you is to come visit here in the winter months and make your own decision.

[Froggie Legs]

Having lived in both places... (West Central MN &Twin Cities) and (Lander, WY) I would say that it snows "whenever" (sometimes in June, even) in Wyoming, but doesn't last long...and MN is more dreary (days and days without seeing the sun or blue sky)... Snow amounts vary so much from year to year I'm not going to count that. I thought Wyoming was warmer but windier ... but again, it would be snowy one day and the next we'd get 50 degree weather in Lander so the snow melted fast.

[sunsprit]

For lusaka ...

understand that Lander WY winter is much milder climate with warmer winters and much less windy than Cheyenne.

[eiafjam]

We had snow here yesterday. I think most of it blew into SD.

[JrAlcesAlces]

Originally Posted by Happy in Wyoming

Every county in Wyoming has recorded snow in every month of the year; almost every county in Colorado has done the same. However, I've also been in shirtsleves every month of the year here and in Colorado. I'm from northern Illinois originally and can say that winters back there are far more severe; there's absolutely no comparison.

HinW--I live in northern IL and am looking to move west. In what way are the winters here (IL) more severe? I would have thought the reverse. However, as I'm writing this we have a -12 temperature (-37 wind chill) and a foot and a half of snow.

[Froggie Legs]

Today it's -26ºF ..and a wind chill of -51 in Minnesota... but we are having a bit of a "cold snap" :P

[branDcalf]

Originally Posted by JrAlcesAlces

HinW--I live in northern IL and am looking to move west. In what way are the winters here (IL) more severe? I would have thought the reverse. However, as I'm writing this we have a -12 temperature (-37 wind chill) and a foot and a half of snow.

I'm not Happy, but I'm familiar with IL and IN having family in both and spending quite a bit of time working in both.

Winters in both places seem much more severe to me, also. The humidity makes every cold day seem to cut through you.

I was in central IN recently when it was 45*F and it truly felt like 8* does here. I worked with racehorses in both IL and IN in the winter months so have spent more than an average time outside. I do ranching here and that is simply how I experience the difference between the two areas.

My suburban relatives like it when I tell them, "Y'all are tough. No way could I live here!"

[WyoNewk]

I grew up in Iowa. Our winters in Wyoming are longer and perhaps colder in measured temperature, but like branDcalf states, that humidity makes a huge difference (summer and winter). We also have more sun here, and the sun feels hotter at elevation. (Less atmosphere to block the rays.) Wyoming also get less snow except for in the mountains, and nobody actually lives in the mountains in the winter.

[Happy in Wyoming]

I agree with all of what the two previous posters said. It's that humid bone-chilling cold. Parts of Wyoming get more snow but you'd never know it because it comes and goes. People talk about Wyoming wind but the fiercest winds I've ever experienced are on the Chicago River just west of the Loop. If you've ever walked from the Loop to the train you know what I mean.

Wyoming summers are very different from those of Illinois as well. Hot days are dry days. Period. No exceptions.

I grew up in the Chicago area and am very familiar with it. I can truthfully say that there is nothing that could make me leave Wyoming to move back there.