GILLETTE, Wyo. — Potential inclement weather has prompted International Pathfinder Camporee officials to move up the final evening performance to Friday, according to a special announcement on Aug. 9.
Camporee officials and associated organizations decided to move up the final performance to Aug. 9 due to safety concerns for camporee attendees with severe thunderstorms, strong winds and hail reportedly moving into the Gillette area on Saturday, per the announcement.
According to Keith Sherburn, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Rapid City, South Dakota, the primary threat will likely be wind gusts between 40 and 60 mph, with isolated thunderstorms moving into the Gillette area Saturday afternoon which could produce some hail.
“Every effort is being made to keep Pathfinders safe during the next few days,” the camporee announcement said. “With this in mind, the camporee is providing each international guest, North American Division union, conference, and club director information they need to make an informed decision as to when it is best for them to depart the camporee for home.”
While it is hard to say for certain what’s normal, given year-to-year variability, Sherburn said thunderstorms are generally normal for this time of year in the Gillette area as storms push off the Bighorn Mountains and south from Montana.
Around this time in past years, inclement weather has impacted other large-scale events in the area, such as the Sturgis Rally, Sherburn said, adding that the cooler temps seen this week are the only thing that would appear out of the norm.
