Wyoming is one of the largest states in the nation, but it has the smallest population with a littlemore than half a million residents. The state is known for its wide-open spaces and semiarid
and desert-like conditions.
Wyoming’s annual precipitation in the form of rain is well below the national average, but the state receives about double the amount of snow each year in comparison to the national average for annual snowfall.
Despite the high snowfall, some areas of Wyoming may be more prone to severe drought due to lower amounts of snow pack. By 2050, drought conditions are expected to worsen by more than
40 percent.
While large areas of the state are desert-like and areas of population are sparse, larger cities like Cheyenne, are expected to experience a rise in average temperature due to greenhouse gases. Higher temperatures mean that air quality will also continue to worsen.
Heavily-populated cities are not the only areas expected to see a rise in temperatures. Climatologists predict that by the year 2100, Yellowstone National Park will be about 13 degrees
warmer.
Rising temperatures and lower than average precipitation contribute to dangerous drought conditions and an elevated risk of wildfire. An estimated 82 percent of Wyoming’s population
live in high-risk areas for wildfires; the risk is expected to worsen and continue by 2050 putting entire communities at risk of being displaced or destroyed.
Due to large regions of unpopulated areas, tornadic activity in Wyoming has resulted in fewer deaths or injuries than other states throughout the U.S.
Between 1950 and 2017; there have been 664 reported tornadoes resulting in four fatalities and 104 injuries. The longest tornado path was 52 miles, and the widest path was 2550.
Although Wyoming experiences an average of fewer than 15 tornadoes each year, we can still expect that they will occur and with more frequency as weather patterns continue to change.
In 2018, after 30 years without experience a tornado of EF3/F3 or stronger, three EF3 tornadoes struck areas of Wyoming within two months.
The Wyoming FAIR Plan is designed to offer high-risk homeowners with basic property insurance. If you are unable to get insurance through the voluntary markets, you may think thatthe Wyoming FAIR is your only option.
Browsing plans through the private insurance marketplace may be an alternative to the Wyoming FAIR Plan and an affordable way to protect your assets.