Weather
Wyoming Weather Report: NWS Reveals 2026 Storm Season Damage
Cheyenne, WY – Wyoming's 2026 severe weather season brought destructive hail, powerful thunderstorms and damaging winds, with storms overturning dozens of railcars, knocking down power poles and washi
By Rachel Monroe · 2026-10-24T22:32:46.300Z
Cheyenne, WY – Wyoming's 2026 severe weather season brought destructive hail, powerful thunderstorms and damaging winds, with storms overturning dozens of railcars, knocking down power poles and washing out bridges across southeastern Wyoming and the Nebraska Panhandle.
According to the National Weather Service in Cheyenne, the preliminary 2026 convective season review includes 128 hail reports, 136 thunderstorm wind reports, 23 tornado reports and 35 flash flood reports across its forecast area.
Massive Hail and Destructive Winds One of the season's most notable storms occurred June 22, when a large supercell moved southeast through Mitchell and Scottsbluff, Nebraska, producing numerous reports of golf ball to baseball size hail.
The largest reported hailstone of the season measured 3 inches in diameter near Bayard, Nebraska, on Aug. 21.
Another powerful storm on May 30 produced a measured 84 mph wind gust along Interstate 80, approximately 9.5 miles east of Sidney, Nebraska.
On June 25, damaging winds overturned more than 40 railcars along Interstate 25 south of Cheyenne.
An Aug. 21 supercell near Potter, Nebraska, also knocked down more than 30 power poles and overturned agricultural irrigation pivots.
Tornadoes and Flash Flooding Despite persistent drought conditions limiting some severe weather potential, tornadoes and flash flooding still occurred.
The Weather Service recorded 23 preliminary tornado reports, including 20 classified as landspouts. Officials reported no tornado related damage.
Flash flooding was particularly significant across the Nebraska Panhandle.
On June 9, a nearly stationary thunderstorm caused flooding northeast of Bayard, washing out bridge sections and disrupting travel between U.S. Highways 26 and 385 for several weeks.
Final Storm Data Still Pending The Weather Service emphasized that storm reports help meteorologists evaluate dangerous weather events and improve future warnings.
All figures remain preliminary, with final 2026 storm data expected to be published by March 2027.
The agency also thanked residents and storm spotters who submitted reports throughout the season.