Winter announced itself in central Wyoming with a Thanksgiving storm that left more than 2 feet of snow, ice-rutted roads and frigid conditions in its wake. 

Before exiting the area, the storm even broke a record in Riverton. The 19.2-inches dump was the most snow in 24 hours recorded in the town’s history, according to the National Weather Service Riverton Office. 

Digging out over the holiday weekend was a harsh beginning for many residents still recovering from last winter, a record-shattering season marked by closed highways, ice dams, school cancellations and prolonged double-digit negative temperatures.

For all of its inconvenience, however, the Thanksgiving storm also blanketed the region with muffled scenes of cold beauty such as this one. WyoFile reporter Katie Klingsporn was walking her dog when she noticed graceful shadows and frosted tree branches backlit by the morning sun. The scene spurred her to bare her hands in the below-zero air to capture a photograph. 

For some, glittery scenes may soften winter’s blunt return. Others turned to humor to cope. 

Another storm is in the forecast for this weekend, with light to moderate snow predicted in the western part of the state.

Katie Klingsporn reports on outdoor recreation, public lands, education and general news for WyoFile. She’s been a journalist and editor covering the American West for 20 years. Her freelance work has...

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