NWS: Severe Thunderstorm Watch for Casper, 14 Wyoming Counties
Over half of Wyoming is under a severe thunderstorm watch through Saturday evening, with scattered damaging winds, isolated strong wind gusts and some large hail likely across the affected area.
Albany, Campbell, Carbon, Converse, Crook, Goshen, Johnson, Laramie, Natrona, Niobrara, Platte, Sweetwater and Weston counties are all under the severe thunderstorm watch, which is in effect until 8 p.m. Saturday.
Severe thunderstorms are also likely across numerous counties in Nebraska, Colorado and Utah. Anticipated hazards include damaging winds, hail up to 1.5 inches in diameter and isolated wind gusts up to 75 mph.
The band of severe storms has already caused wind damage in Colorado, according to the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma. The storms will continue moving quickly north-northeastward into Wyoming through the afternoon Saturday.
People in the watch areas should be on the lookout for threatening weather and check for updates.
Severe thunderstorms can and occasionally do produce tornadoes.
A severe thunderstorm warning was issued for much of Sweetwater County through 2:30 p.m. Saturday, where 60-70 mph wind gusts were expected to damage roofs, siding and trees.