♣Tuesday, March 17, 2026 |
Photo – Blow-over semi-trucks on Interstate 80 – Courtesy Wyoming Highway Patrol
Hundred‑mile‑an‑hour wind gusts caused chaos on the state’s highways.
According to a Wyoming Highway Patrol media release, statewide, the weekend’s windstorms blew over at least 33 vehicles. Speaking to Bigfoot99 yesterday morning, Highway Patrol Public Information Officer Aaron Brown said 12 of those incidents occurred within a ten‑mile stretch of Interstate 80.
Brown reported that seven of the 12 blow‑overs occurred at the Cooper Cove exit over the course of two hours.
Brown said Highway Patrol Troopers issued citations to 10 of the 12 drivers involved in last week’s blow‑over crashes, mainly for failing to obey closures after the highway was shut down due to the wind. Along with a $1,000 fine and up to 30 days in jail, the drivers may also be liable for all costs associated with cleaning up the wreck sites.
Many parts of the state saw wind gusts exceeding 100 miles an hour, with AccuWeather reporting 109‑mile‑an‑hour gusts in Chugwater and Centennial on Friday. That same day, Brown said a strong wind gust damaged the Wyoming Department of Transportation facility in Cheyenne.
Wyoming Department of Transportation Assistant Chief Engineer Mark Ayen reported that the agency’s salt and sand storage sheds in Arlington and Quealy Dome were “all but destroyed” by the wind. Many Carbon County residents also lost power around the same time.
Highway Patrol Public Information Officer Brown said 17 blow‑over crashes also occurred on Interstate 25 north of Cheyenne. Social media videos show semi‑trucks blowing over while standing still.
As of yesterday afternoon, the High Wind Warning remained in effect for southeastern Wyoming. Due to the ongoing gusts, the entirety of Interstate 80 was closed to high‑profile vehicles. Brown said he expects additional blow‑over crashes to occur before the windstorm ends.
