965
FXUS65 KRIW 180901
AFDRIW
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY
201 AM MST SUN JAN 18 2026
KEY MESSAGES
- A WEAK WEATHER SYSTEM WILL BRING GUSTY WINDS AND A CHANCE FOR
LIGHT SNOW ACROSS THE NORTHERN BIGHORN MOUNTAINS AND NORTHERN
JOHNSON COUNTY THIS MORNING.
- THE REMAINDER OF WESTERN AND CENTRAL WYOMING REMAIN MILD AND
DRY THE REST OF THE WEEKEND AND MOST OF THE UPCOMING WEEK.
DISCUSSION
ISSUED AT 123 AM MST SUN JAN 18 2026
THE H5 RIDGE ALONG THE WEST COAST IS NOT GOING ANYWHERE DURING
THE NEXT FEW DAYS, SO THE STATUS QUO CONTINUES ACROSS MOST OF
WESTERN AND CENTRAL WYOMING. MOISTURE CONTENT WRAPPING AROUND
THE TOP OF THE RIDGE REMAINS DRY, SO ANY SYSTEMS PASSING THROUGH
WILL HAVE A HARD TIME WRINGING OUT ANY PRECIP. A WEAK SHORTWAVE
IS RACING SOUTHWARD ACROSS THE PLAINS THIS MORNING, WITH THE
TAIL EDGE JUST CLIPPING ALONG THE EDGE OF THE BIGHORN RANGE.
OVERNIGHT WEBCAMS AND ROAD CONDITIONS SHOW ANY PRECIP THAT FELL
WITH THIS HAS BEEN VERY LIGHT AND DRY, WITH MINIMAL
ACCUMULATION. WINDS ACROSS JOHNSON COUNTY HAVE BEEN GUSTING 25
TO 35 MPH, WITH A FEW HIGHER GUSTS. THIS HAS KEPT MOST LIGHT
SNOW FROM ACCUMULATING, AND WOULD LIKELY KEEP BLOWING THE SNOW
ALL THE WAY TO NEBRASKA...
THE RIDGE WILL KEEP THE AREA IN THE MILDER TEMPERATURES THROUGH
THE REST OF THIS WEEK, WITH HIGH TEMPERATURES VARYING BETWEEN
THE 30S AND 40S, DEPENDING ON ANY GUSTY WINDS BRINGING
DOWNSLOPING. ANOTHER WEAK SHORTWAVE AGAIN SWEEPS BY TO THE
NORTHEAST TUESDAY NIGHT, BRINGING ANOTHER ROUND OF GUSTY WINDS
AND LIGHT SNOW MAINLY TO THE BIGHORNS AND NORTHERN JOHNSON
COUNTY. THE WESTERN VALLEYS ARE UNLIKELY TO SEE ANY SIGNIFICANT
WEST WINDS THIS WEEK BEING CLOSER UNDER THE RIDGE, SO COLD
POOLS IN THE VALLEYS WILL HOLD IN PLACE, KEEPING TEMPS IN THE
20S AND LOW 30S.
CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC THAT THE WESTERN RIDGE FINALLY BREAKS DOWN
LATE THIS WEEK, ALLOWING A MORE SIGNIFICANT WEATHER SYSTEM INTO
NORTHERN WYOMING OVER THE UPCOMING WEEKEND. THIS MAY BRING A
CONSIDERABLE DROP IN TEMPERATURES AND A BETTER CHANCE FOR
SNOWFALL FOR ALL MOUNTAIN RANGES THROUGH THE WEEKEND.
AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z MONDAY/
ISSUED AT 935 PM MST SAT JAN 17 2026
WEST OF THE DIVIDE...KBPI/KJAC/KPNA/KRKS TERMINALS.
HIGH PRESSURE KEEPS A MAINLY CLEAR SKY AND RELATIVELY LIGHT WINDS
THROUGH MUCH OF THE PERIOD. HIGH CLOUDS WILL BEGIN TO MOVE OVER
THE AREA FROM THE NORTH AFTER 00Z. WINDS WILL BE DIURNALLY
DRIVEN SUNDAY, WITH SLIGHT INCREASES IN THE AFTERNOON.
EAST OF THE DIVIDE...KCOD/KCPR/KLND/KRIW/KWRL TERMINALS.
A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE IN FROM THE NORTH SUNDAY, BRINGING A
NORTHERLY WIND SHIFT AND BRIEF GUSTY WINDS WITH ITS PASSAGE AND
FOR A FEW HOURS AFTER. PRECIPITATION CHANCES WITH THIS FRONT ARE
VERY LIMITED, WITH 20 PERCENT CHANCES FOR FAVORED TERRAIN
LOCATIONS LIKE KCOD, KCPR, AND KLND. THE BEST CHANCES FOR SNOW
WILL BE OVER THE NORTH END OF THE BIGHORN MOUNTAINS INTO
NORTHERN JOHNSON COUNTY BETWEEN 12Z AND 18Z. CLOUDS DO INCREASE
AS THE FRONT PROGRESSES SOUTHWARD, WITH THE LATEST MODEL RUNS
INDICATING LOW- END VFR TO MVFR CEILINGS, WHICH MAY BE TOO
PESSIMISTIC. THESE LOWER CEILINGS WILL LIKELY OCCUR AFTER 03Z.
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...LAVOIE/WITTMANN
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