906
FXUS65 KRIW 190347
AFDRIW
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY
947 PM MDT SAT OCT 18 2025
KEY MESSAGES
- STRONG WINDS WILL BEGIN IN THE HIGH TERRAIN OVERNIGHT, WITH
LOWER ELEVATIONS BECOMING GUSTY SUNDAY AFTERNOON INTO MONDAY.
A HIGH WIND WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE AREAS MOST LIKELY (50
TO 70% CHANCE) TO SEE WIND GUSTS 55 TO 65 MPH.
- SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW FOR THE MOUNTAINS SUNDAY AFTERNOON
THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING HOURS MONDAY. WINTER WEATHER
ADVISORIES ARE POSTED FOR MOUNTAIN PASSES WHERE STRONG WINDS
WILL COMBINE WITH A BRIEF PERIOD OF INTENSE SNOWFALL RATES.
- AFTER AN UNSEASONABLY WARM AND GUSTY SUNDAY, TEMPERATURES
MONDAY WILL BE 15 DEGREES COOLER. TEMPERATURES THEN MODERATE
SLOWLY INTO MID-WEEK.
UPDATE
ISSUED AT 107 PM MDT SAT OCT 18 2025
MODELS HAVE INCREASED PRECIP CHANCES AND THE OVERALL SFC WIND
PROFILE IN THE LATEST RUNS, WHICH HAVE LED TO SOME ADJUSTMENTS
IN THE FORECAST FOR SUNDAY. FIRST, THE H7 WIND PROFILE HAS
STRENGTHENED A BIT AND REMAINS IN A FAVORABLE DIRECTION FOR
GUSTY WINDS ACROSS THE REGION, ESPECIALLY IN THE MORE FAVORABLE
REGIONS FROM KRKS TO KCPR AND IN THE VICINITY OF KLND. GUSTS
HAVE ALSO INCREASE ACROSS SOUTHWEST WYOMING. LOOKING AT
PROBABILITIES FOR WINDS >60MPH, AREAS FROM KLND TO SOUTH PASS TO
KCPR HAVE INCREASED ABOVE 50%, AS HAS THE PROBABILITIES AROUND
KEMMERER. HAVE HOISTED A HIGH WIND WATCH FOR THESE AREAS FOR
SUNDAY INTO SUNDAY EVENING. SUBLETTE AND SWEETWATER COUNTY WERE
ALSO STARTING TO COME UP ON PROBABILITIES, SO WILL NEED TO CHECK
LATER UPDATES FOR EXPANSION OF THE WATCH/WARNINGS.
THE OTHER NOTE IS SNOW CHANCES FOR THE NW MOUNTAIN RANGES.
MODELS HAVE BETTER LIFTING COMING THROUGH WITH THE TROUGH. THIS
ALONG WITH THE INCREASED WIND PROFILE ADDING OROGRAPHIC LIFT,
AND HIGHER WIND GUSTS, HAVE INCREASED THE WINTER WEATHER
CONCERNS FOR THE ABSAROKAS, TETONS, AND GROS VENTRES. SNOWFALL
TOTALS HAVE INCREASED WITH LATEST RUNS, WITH HIGHER ELEVATIONS
NOW AT 6 TO 10 INCHES THROUGH MONDAY, ESPECIALLY FOR THE MAIN
TRAVEL PASS AT TOGWOTEE. TAKING THIS, ALONG WITH SEEING WHAT
OUR CURRENT MOISTURE WAS ABLE TO PRODUCE SNOW- WISE TODAY, INTO
ACCOUNT, HAVE DECIDED TO ISSUE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES FOR
THESE RANGES TOMORROW AFTERNOON AND NIGHT.
DISCUSSION
ISSUED AT 258 AM MDT SAT OCT 18 2025
IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY PREFERENCE WITH THINGS I DON'T LIKE, IF I HAVE
A CHOICE, IS THAT I GET IT OVER WITH EARLY. AND IF YOU DON'T LIKE
ACTIVE WEATHER AND PREFER MORE TRANQUIL, QUIET AND MORE PLEASANT
AUTUMN WEATHER, THIS FORECAST WILL BE SIMILAR. ALMOST ALL THE ACTIVE
WEATHER IN THIS FORECAST IS CONTAINED IN THE FIRST 72 HOURS, WITH
RELATIVE QUIET CONDITIONS FOR THE REMAINDER.
THE HAVE TWO SYSTEMS TO TALK ABOUT. THE FIRST, IN THE FORM OF A
CANADIAN COLD FRONT, IS NOW DROPPING SOUTHWARD THROUGH WYOMING.
RADAR DOES SHOW SOME SHOWERS WITH IT. HOWEVER, WE HAVE NO
HIGHLIGHTS WITH IT. FOR ONE, IT IS OF CONTINENTAL ORIGIN AND DOES
NOT HAVE AN AMPLE AMOUNT OF MOISTURE TO WORK WITH. IT ALSO A FAST
MOVING SYSTEM, WITH ALL SHOWERS OVER BY AROUND NOON. THE CHANCE OF
ANY ACCUMULATING SNOW OF OVER AN INCH OF SNOW OR MORE IS RESTRICTED
TO THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS. THE CHANCE OF OVER 3 INCHES OF SNOW IS AT
MOST 1 OUT OF 3 IN THE SOUTHERN ABSAROKAS WITH ALMOST ZERO CHANCE OF
6 INCHES. HOWEVER, IN AREAS EXPECTED TO SEE THE MOST SHOWERS,
ESPECIALLY PORTIONS OF JOHNSON AND NATRONA COUNTIES, SEE SOME SNOW
IN THE AIR THIS MORNING AND POSSIBLY A SMALL COATING ON NON PAVED
SURFACES. AS FOR TOTAL PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS, ONLY THE AREA FROM THE
BIGHORNS THROUGH JOHNSON COUNTY HAS A GREATER THAN 1 OUT OF 2 CHANCE
OF A TENTH OF AN INCH OR MORE, EXCLUDING THE WESTERN MOUNTAINS. WIND
WILL BE GUSTY WITH THE FRONTAL PASSAGE, WITH A GREATER THAN 2 OUT OF
3 CHANCE OF WIND GUSTS PAST 30 MPH IN THE FAVORED NORTHWEST FLOW
LOCATIONS, LIKE GREYBULL, BUFFALO AS WELL AS ROCK SPRINGS. WIND
SHOULD DECREASE AS THE FRONT MOVES AWAY IN THE AFTERNOON THOUGH. IT
WILL BRING COOLER TEMPERATURES THOUGH, AROUND 10 TO 15 DEGREES
COOLER THAN ON FRIDAY.
AFTER A DRY PERIOD THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING, THE SECOND
SYSTEM, THIS ONE A PACIFIC TROUGH AND COLD FRONT, WILL APPROACH FROM
THE WEST. THE CONCERNS ARE SIMILAR WITH THIS ONE, MAINLY
PRECIPITATION AND WIND. WE WILL TACKLE EACH ONE INDIVIDUALLY.
AS FOR PRECIPITATION, WITH THE PACIFIC ORIGIN, IT DOES HAVE MORE
MOISTURE TO WORK WITH THAN THIS MORNINGS FRONT. HOWEVER, MOST
GUIDANCE SHOWS IT SPLITTING AS IT APPROACHES WYOMING. AND AS A
RESULT, THIS SHOULD LIMIT AMOUNTS SOMEWHAT. MOST PROBABILISTIC
GUIDANCE IS FOCUSING MAINLY ON SOUTHERN ABSAROKAS, WHERE THERE IS
AROUND A 3 OUT OF 5 CHANCE OF 6 INCHES OR MORE. HOWEVER, THERE ARE
BASICALLY NO PEOPLE HERE AND AS A RESULT IMPACTS LOOK RATHER
MINIMAL. THE ONE AREA OF CONCERN MAY BE TOGWOTEE PASS, WHERE THERE
IS A 1 OUT 2 CHANCE OF 6 INCHES OR MORE AS WELL. ELSEWHERE, IT IS
LESS THAN 1 OUT OF 2. LIKE THE PREVIOUS SYSTEM, IT ALSO A FAST MOVER
WITH MOST RAIN AND SNOW FALLING AN A 12 TO 18 HOUR PERIOD, WITH MOST
THROUGH THE AREA BY SUNRISE ON MONDAY. AS FOR THE LOWER ELEVATIONS,
THERE IS A 4 OUT OF 5 CHANCE OF LESS THAN A QUARTER OF AN INCH OF
PRECIPITATION IN THE LOWER ELEVATIONS. WITH THE WESTERLY FLOW WITH
THE SYSTEM, DOWNSLOPING FLOW MAY KEEP MANY LOCATIONS EAST OF THE
DIVIDE MAINLY DRY. THE BEST CHANCE WILL BE ACROSS NORTHERN WYOMING,
BUT EVEN HERE, AMOUNTS SHOULD BE GENERALLY LIGHT, EXCEPT FOR THE
BIGHORNS WHERE UPSLOPE FLOW MAY BRING SHOULD BRING A FEW INCHES OF
SNOW.
NOW FOR THE WINDY PART OF THE SYSTEM. THE MAIN AREA OF CONCERN FOR
THIS LOOKS TO BE ACROSS THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE AREA, WHICH WILL
CLOSER AN 140 KNOT JET CORE MOVING ACROSS THAT REGION. THE MAIN TIME
OF CONCERN LOOKS TO BE SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING IN SOUTHWEST
FLOW, PREFRONTAL LOCATIONS, LIKE ROCK SPRINGS, CASPER AND EVEN
LANDER. GUIDANCE IS SHOWING SOME 50 KNOT WIND BARBS AT 700
MILLIBARS, AND WITH THE FRONT APPROACHING THERE WILL BE AMPLE MIXING
AS WELL. PROBABILISTIC GUIDANCE IS ON THE FENCE THOUGH. CASPER
ITSELF HAS ONLY A 2 OUT OF 5 CHANCE WIND WIND GUSTS PAST 55 MPH. THE
AREAS THAT HAVE THE BEST CHANCE ARE HIGHER ELEVATION LOCATIONS THAT
HAVE LITTLE IMPACT. FOR NOW, WE WILL HOLD OFF ON ANY HIGHLIGHTS. THE
MOST IMPACTS WOULD NOT BE UNTIL SUNDAY AFTERNOON. THE DAY CREW CAN
TAKE A ANOTHER LOOK AND ISSUE WATCHES AND WE CAN UPGRADE TOMORROW
NIGHT IF NEEDED. AS FOR THE POST-FRONTAL, NORTHWEST FLOW LOCATIONS,
LIKE THE WIND RIVER BASIN, BIG HORN BASIN AND JOHNSON COUNTY, THE
CHANCE OF WIND GUSTS PAST 55 MPH IS AGAIN, LESS THAN 2 OUT OF 5 FOR
THE MOST PART. WE WILL LET THE DAY CREW RE-EVAULATE. WIND SHOULD
DECREASE IN THE SOUTHWEST FLOW AREAS SUNDAY NIGHT, BUT CONTINUE IN
THE NORTHWEST FLOW LOCATIONS MUCH OF THE NIGHT.
AFTER A MILD DAY SUNDAY, TEMPERATURES WILL AGAIN DROP BEHIND THE
FRONT FOR MONDAY. SOME SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE IN THE UNSTABLE,
NORTHWEST FLOW, BUT ANY AMOUNTS WOULD REMAIN LIGHT. IT WILL FEEL
CHILLY THOUGH WITH TEMPERATURES 10 TO 20 DEGREES COOLER THAN SUNDAY
ANOTHER JET MAX MOVING OVER THE AREA MONDAY WILL KEEP THE WIND GOING
IN NORTHWEST FLOW AREA, BUT THE CHANCE OF GUSTS PAST 50 MPH DROPS TO
AT MOST 1 OUT OF 3 ON THIS DAY.
WE THEN ENTER THE MORE TRANQUIL PORTION OF THE FORECAST AS FLAT
RIDGING BUILDS OVER THE STATE FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK, BRINGING
NEAR NORMAL TEMPERATURES AND MAINLY DRY CONDITIONS. THERE WILL BE
SOME LOCALLY BREEZY CONDITIONS IN THE FAVORED LOCATIONS, BUT NOTING
NOTABLE. ONE SMALL FLY IN THE OINTMENT IS A WAVE PASSING OVER
COLORADO THAT COULD BRING A FEW SHOWERS TO FAR SOUTHERN WYOMING
WEDNESDAY NIGHT, BUT THIS IS FAR FROM CERTAIN AS GUIDANCE IS ALL
OVER THE PLACE. THE NEXT DECENT CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION WOULD LIKELY
HOLD OFF UNTIL NEXT WEEKEND AS THE NEXT PACIFIC SYSTEM APPROACHES
FROM THE WEST.
AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z MONDAY/
ISSUED AT 947 PM MDT SAT OCT 18 2025
SKIES WILL REMAIN MOSTLY CLEAR TONIGHT INTO SUNDAY MORNING. CLOUD
COVER WILL BEGIN TO INCREASE SUNDAY AFTERNOON FROM THE WEST AS
THE NEXT WEATHER SYSTEM COMES BARRELING INTO THE AREA. THERE
WON'T BE MUCH PRECIPITATION WITH THIS WEATHER SYSTEM AFTER AN
INITIAL BAND OF RAIN AND MOUNTAIN SNOW PUSHES THROUGH SUNDAY
AFTERNOON INTO SUNDAY EVENING. THIS BAND WILL EXIT QUICKLY BY
MIDNIGHT. THE BEST CHANCES FOR PREVAILING RAIN WILL BE AT KJAC,
KBPI, KPNA, AND KRKS. THERE IS ALSO A 30% CHANCE AT KLND, KCOD,
KCPR, AND KWRL. CONDITIONS WILL MAINLY DROP TO MVFR AS THIS BAND
MOVES THROUGH, BUT MAY DROP TO IFR BRIEFLY.
THE BIGGER ISSUE WITH THIS WEATHER SYSTEM WILL BE THE WIND. A STRONG
JET WILL MOVE OVERHEAD AND A COLD FRONT WILL DROP DOWN FROM THE
NORTH SUNDAY EVENING INTO SUNDAY NIGHT. THIS WILL RESULT IN STRONG
ACROSS THE AREA TO POTENTIALLY HIGH WIND IN THE WIND PRONE
LOCATIONS. WIND SHEAR MAY BE AN ISSUE AT TIMES, BUT OVERALL THE
STRENGTH OF THE WEATHER SYSTEM SHOULD ALLOW THE STRONG WINDS TO MIX
TO THE SURFACE. WIND AHEAD OF THE FRONT WILL BE FROM THE SOUTHWEST
AND BEHIND THE FRONT FROM THE WEST/NORTHWEST.
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
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM NOON SUNDAY TO NOON MDT MONDAY
FOR WYZ002-012.
HIGH WIND WATCH FROM 9 AM MDT SUNDAY THROUGH LATE SUNDAY NIGHT
FOR WYZ019.
HIGH WIND WATCH FROM SUNDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING
FOR WYZ020-027.
UPDATE...STRAUB
DISCUSSION...HATTINGS
AVIATION...ROWE
CLICK HERE TO GO TO PREVIOUS BULLETINS.
Main Text Page