505
FXUS65 KRIW 201054
AFDRIW
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY
354 AM MST FRI DEC 20 2024
KEY MESSAGES
- NEAR-RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURES ACROSS CENTRAL WY AGAIN TODAY.
- QUICK MOVING WAVE MOVES ACROSS NORTHERN WY SUNDAY NIGHT,
BRINGING A ROUND OF LIGHT SNOW TO THE WESTERN MOUNTAIN RANGES.
- THE TRAILING TROUGH MAINLY STAYS SOUTH, BUT WILL BRING SOME
LIGHT SNOW FOR FAR WESTERN WY CHRISTMAS MORNING. MOST OF THE
STATE REMAINS SNOW-FREE THROUGH CHRISTMAS DAY.
DISCUSSION
ISSUED AT 209 AM MST FRI DEC 20 2024
THE DOMINANT RIDGING THAT HAS DOMINATED THE REGION THIS WINTER
MAY BE IN THE PROCESS OF BREAKING DOWN SLOWLY, BUT THE FAST-
MOVING FLOW WILL STILL KEEP MOST WEATHER SYSTEMS AND COLD PUSHES
OF AIR AWAY FROM THE REGION THROUGH ANOTHER WEEK AT LEAST.
TODAY WILL SEE ANOTHER DAY OF WESTERLY WINDS DOWNSLOPING OFF THE
REGIONAL MOUNTAIN RANGES, BRINGING WARMER TEMPERATURES,
ESPECIALLY EAST OF THE DIVIDE. TEMPERATURES WILL JUMP INTO THE
40S AND 50S, WITH SEVERAL LOCATIONS FLIRTING WITH ANOTHER DAY OF
RECORD HIGHS (CPR:56, GEY:50, BYG:58, LND:55). THE NEXT
SHORTWAVE TROUGH SWEEPS THROUGH THE REGION STARTING SATURDAY
NIGHT. INITIALLY, IT WILL ONLY BRING COLDER TEMPERATURES ALOFT,
WHICH WILL ONLY BE NOTED BY COLDER TEMPERATURES AT HIGHER
ELEVATIONS ON SUNDAY. AS THIS SYSTEM RACES EAST, A TRAILING
WAVE WILL SWEEP IN SUNDAY NIGHT. THIS SYSTEM WILL BRING A BIT
MORE PACIFIC MOISTURE, WHICH WILL BE ENOUGH TO SQUEEZE OUT SOME
SNOW SHOWERS FOR THE WESTERN MOUNTAINS SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY
MORNING. AREAS RECEIVING MORE THAN A COUPLE INCHES WILL BE
LIMITED TO JUST THE GREATER TETON RANGE THROUGH MONDAY EVENING.
AREAS EAST OF THE DIVIDE REMAIN IN WESTERLY FLOW, WHICH KEEPS
TEMPERATURES WARM GENERALLY IN THE 40S. THE THIRD IN THE LINEUP
OF TROUGHS HAS BEEN TRENDING FATHER SOUTH IN MODEL RUNS, WITH
THE MAIN AREA SWEEPING THROUGH COLORADO EARLY ON CHRISTMAS DAY.
THERE IS ENOUGH ENERGY WITH THIS TROUGH TO BRING SOME LIGHT SNOW
IN THE PRE-DAWN HOURS CHRISTMAS MORNING FOR THE WESTERN MOUNTAIN
RANGES. FOR MOST AREAS, CHRISTMAS WILL SADLY BE SNOW-FREE, BUT
SANTA MAY HAVE A BRIEF BIT OF DIFFICULTY WITH DELIVERIES AROUND
JACKSON AND STAR VALLEY.
AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z SATURDAY/
ISSUED AT 353 AM MST FRI DEC 20 2024
VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH 12Z SATURDAY. AT KCPR AND
KCOD, GUSTS UP TO 30 KNOTS ARE POSSIBLE AFTER 15Z FRIDAY AND
PERSISTING UNTIL AFTER SUNSET ON FRIDAY. OTHERWISE, ONLY MID
TO HIGH CLOUDS WILL BE ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH THE TAF PERIOD
WITH WIND GENERALLY REMAINING AT 11 KNOTS OR LESS.
PLEASE SEE THE AVIATION WEATHER CENTER AND/OR CWSU ZDV AND ZLC FOR
THE LATEST INFORMATION ON ICING AND TURBULENCE FORECASTS.
RIW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
NONE.
DISCUSSION...STRAUB
AVIATION...HATTINGS
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