144
FXUS65 KRIW 280742
AFDRIW
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY
1242 AM MST SUN DEC 28 2025
KEY MESSAGES
- A MAINLY DRY BUT COLD DAY TODAY AND COLD NIGHT TODAY BEHIND A
COLD FRONT.
- A NEW WARMING TREND BEGINS MONDAY AND ESPECIALLY FROM TUESDAY
AND THROUGH NEW YEARS DAY.
- LITTLE OR NO RAIN OR SNOW IS EXPECTED AT LEAST THROUGH
WEDNESDAY AND POSSIBLY THROUGH NEW YEARS DAY.
DISCUSSION
ISSUED AT 1238 AM MST SUN DEC 28 2025
IT LOOKS LIKE OLD MAN WINTER HAS FINALLY WOKEN UP FROM HIS LONG
SLUMBER AND HAS BROUGHT WYOMING BACK TO REALITY. A COLD FRONT HAS
DROPPED ACROSS THE AREA AND USHERED IN MUCH COLDER
TEMPERATURES, BUFFALO IS DOWN TO 4 DEGREES AS I WRITE THIS, IT
WAS 61 ON CHRISTMAS DAY AND ALMOST 70 ON CHRISTMAS EVE. AS I
WRITE THIS AFTER MIDNIGHT, THERE ARE STILL SOME SNOW SHOWERS
ONGOING, BUT THE OVERALL TREND IS DOWNWARD. ALL SHOWERS SHOULD
BE OVER SUNRISE.
ALL IN ALL, WE ARE ENTERING A QUIETER PERIOD OF WEATHER AS HIGH
PRESSURE WILL BUILD OVER THE STATE. IT LOOKS FAIRLY TRANQUIL
FOR AT LEAST THE NEXT FOUR AND POSSIBLY THE NEXT FIVE DAYS WILL
BE DRY ACROSS ALMOST THE ENTIRE AREA. THE MAIN CONCERN WILL BE
TEMPERATURES. IT WILL BE MUCH COLDER TODAY, BUT FOR MOST OF THE
AREA, IT WILL ONLY BE BACK TO WHAT IS EXPECTED FOR LATE
DECEMBER. NORTHERN WYOMING WILL BE BELOW NORMAL, ESPECIALLY
AREAS LIKE CODY AND BUFFALO THAT SAW SOME ACCUMULATING SNOW
YESTERDAY. SUNDAY NIGHT ALSO LOOKS LIKE A RATHER COLD NIGHT, BUT
NOTHING UNUSUAL.
HOWEVER, THE COLD WON'T LAST. FLOW WILL TURN MORE ZONAL AS WE GO
THROUGH THE WEEK AND TEMPERATURES WILL ONCE AGAIN BEGIN AN UPWARD
TREND, SURGING ABOVE NORMAL AGAIN BY THE END OF THE YEAR. IT
WILL LIKELY NOT BE AS WARM AS AROUND CHRISTMAS, BUT
TEMPERATURES 10 TO POSSIBLY AS MUCH AS 20 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT
ABOVE NORMAL LOOK VERY LIKELY (AT LEAST A 4 OUT 5 CHANCE) FROM
TUESDAY AND ESPECIALLY WEDNESDAY THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK.
THE WARM TEMPERATURES MAY ALSO LEAD TO SOME GUSTY WIND IN THE
FAVORED LOCATIONS, BUT HIGH WIND IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
THE NEXT CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION WOULD ARRIVE ON THURSDAY NIGHT AT
THE EARLIEST BUT MORE LIKELY FRIDAY OR NEXT WEEKEND IN THE FORM OF A
PACIFIC TROUGH. IS IS FAR FROM CERTAIN THOUGH AS THE MODELS HAVE
BEEN FLIP FLOPPING FOR THE PAST FEW DAYS. OBVIOUSLY, DETAILS ARE
IMPOSSIBLE TO DETERMINE THIS FAR OUT. SO, IT LOOKS LIKE THE WEATHER
AS WE CLOSE OUT 2025 AND START 2026 IS LOOKING RELATIVELY QUIET.
AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z MONDAY/
ISSUED AT 930 PM MST SAT DEC 27 2025
WEST OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE...KJAC/KRKS/KPNA/KBPI TERMINALS
VFR CONDITIONS AS SHOWER ACTIVITY HAS PUSHED EASTWARD OF ALL TAF
SITES. CONDITIONS IMPROVE THROUGH THE NIGHT INTO SUNDAY MORNING
AS CLOUDS SCATTER OUT BY SUNRISE. GUSTY WINDS AT BPI/PNA UP TO
18KTS AND RKS UP TO 25KTS BETWEEN 18-01Z DURING THE STRONGEST
MIXING TO THE SURFACE BEFORE SUBSIDING THERE AFTER DUE TO
RADIATIONAL COOLING POST SUNSET. FOG DEVELOPMENT IS POSSIBLE AT
JAC SUNDAY NIGHT WITH SOME MODEL GUIDANCE ALIGNING TOWARDS THAT
(CURRENTLY 20-30%). OTHERWISE, MAINLY CLEAR AND LIGHT WINDS
SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY MORNING.
EAST OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE...KCPR/KCOD/KRIW/KLND/KWRL TERMINALS
SNOW SHOWERS ONGOING STILL AT CPR WITH MVFR CONDITIONS THROUGH
ABOUT 10Z BEFORE IT PUSHES EASTWARD. CONDITIONS IMPROVE TO VFR
AFTER 12Z ALONG WITH ALL OTHER SITES THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF
THE PERIOD. WINDS INCREASE AT CPR BETWEEN 16-00Z WITH DAYTIME
HEATING AND MIXING UP TO 25KTS BEFORE SUBSIDING THERE AFTER.
MAINLY CLEAR AND LIGHT WINDS OVERNIGHT INTO MONDAY MORNING.
PLEASE SEE THE AVIATION WEATHER CENTER AND/OR CWSU ZLC AND ZDV FOR
THE LATEST INFORMATION ON ICING AND TURBULENCE FORECASTS.
RIW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
NONE.
DISCUSSION...HATTINGS
AVIATION...LOWE
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