690
FXUS65 KRIW 070447
AFDRIW
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY
1047 PM MDT WED MAY 6 2026
KEY MESSAGES
- COOL TODAY, WITH HIGHS IN THE LOW-TO-MID 50S.
- SCATTERED SHOWERS MOVE INTO NORTHWEST WYOMING TONIGHT, WITH
LIGHT RAIN/MOUNTAIN SNOW CHANCES (15-40 PERCENT) ACROSS
NORTHERN AND CENTRAL WYOMING THROUGH THURSDAY.
- DRY AND WARMING TREND INTO THE WEEKEND AND EARLY NEXT WEEK.
UPDATE
ISSUED AT 1236 PM MDT WED MAY 6 2026
NO NOTABLE CHANGES WITH THIS UPDATE. TODAY REMAINS ON THE COOL SIDE,
WITH HIGHS IN THE LOW-TO-MID 50S FOR MOST OF THE AREA. LOWS TONIGHT
SHOULD REMAIN ABOVE FREEZING FOR EAST OF DIVIDE LOCATIONS, EXCEPT IN
LOW-LYING AREAS WHERE NEAR 30 DEGREES IS POSSIBLE. A SHORTWAVE MOVES
THROUGH THE NORTHWEST FLOW TONIGHT, BRINGING SOME LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS
OR LIGHT MOUNTAIN SNOW SHOWERS TO NORTHERN WYOMING, SPREADING TO
CENTRAL AREAS THURSDAY MORNING AND AFTERNOON, WHEN AN ISOLATED
THUNDERSTORM IS ALSO POSSIBLE. OUTSIDE A QUICK SYSTEM SATURDAY, THE
WEEKEND LOOKS TO REMAIN MOSTLY DRY, WITH WARMING TEMPERATURES. EARLY
NEXT WEEK COULD SEE 80S ACROSS THE AREA.
DISCUSSION
ISSUED AT 200 AM MDT WED MAY 6 2026
IR CURRENTLY DEPICTS AMPLE CLOUD COVER ACROSS THE SOUTHERN HALF
OF THE CWA WITH IMPROVED CONDITIONS FURTHER NORTH. THE CLOSED
UPPER LEVEL LOW HAS EMBEDDED INTO THE OVERALL L/W TROUGH PATTERN
WITH A POSITIVE ORIENTED TILT ACROSS THE DAKOTAS TO THE ROCKIES
WITH THE PFJ DIPPING AROUND ITS BASE. A FEW SCATTERED SNOW
SHOWERS LINGER ACROSS MAINLY EASTWARD SWEETWATER COUNTY
EXTENDING FROM SOUTH PASS/SWEETWATER STATION BUT WILL SLOWLY
DIMINISH AS IT EXITS TO THE SOUTHEAST BY SUNRISE WEDNESDAY
MORNING. COLD TEMPERATURES IN THE HARD FREEZE WARNING CRITERIA
CATEGORY FOR WEDNESDAY MORNING FOR LOWER ELEVATIONS EAST OF THE
DIVIDE BEFORE RECOVERING TO SEASONABLE TEMPERATURES BY
AFTERNOON.
OTHERWISE, EXPECT UPPER LEVEL RIDGING TO START BUILDING IN LATER
WEDNESDAY, GIVING WAY TO NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT AND AMPLE
CONVERGENCE. IMPROVED SKY CONDITIONS AND RELATIVELY LIGHT WINDS
THROUGH THE REST OF WEDNESDAY AND INTO THURSDAY. A SUBTLE
SHORTWAVE PROPAGATES DOWN THE RIDGE, BRINGING SOME SCATTERED
SHOWERS FOR NORTHEASTERN PORTIONS OF THE CWA, MAINLY FOR PARTS
OF THE BIGHORN BASIN AND MOUNTAINS BUT MINIMAL, IF ANY, IMPACTS
EXPECTED. THE PATTERN CONTINUES WITH NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT WITH
THE PFJ REMAINING IN FAR REACHES OF THE NORTHEAST PART OF THE
STATE WITH ANOTHER SHORTWAVE EFFECTING THE NORTHEASTERN CWA
AGAIN SATURDAY AFTERNOON/EVENING. MINIMAL IMPACTS EXPECTED ONCE
AGAIN BUT THE OVERALL PATTERN LOOKS TO BE A MOSTLY DRY AND
WARMING TREND INTO THE WEEKEND AND NEXT WEEK. RIDGING AND
NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT CONTINUE WITH NO SIGNIFICANT WEATHER
SYSTEMS OF NOTE ON THE HORIZON AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z FRIDAY/
ISSUED AT 1041 PM MDT WED MAY 6 2026
LIGHT SHOWERS HAVE STARTED TO MOVE INTO FAR NW WY THIS EVENING,
AND WILL BRING A SMALL CHANCE AT KCOD/KWRL AND KJAC DURING THE
NEXT FEW HOURS. A COUPLE STRIKES OF LIGHTNING ARE NOTED TO THE
NORTHWEST IN MT, SO THIS IS POSSIBLE AS THIS ROUND OF SHOWERS
MOVES THROUGH OVERNIGHT. A BRIEF PERIOD OF CLEARING SKIES IS
EXPECTED THURSDAY MORNING, BEFORE ANOTHER ROUND OF SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS BUBBLES UP EAST OF THE DIVIDE. WITH BETTER
POSSIBILITY OF TS DURING PEAK HEATING, HAVE ADDED SOME TEMPO
THUNDER GROUPS FOR KCOD/KWRL AND KCPR. THERE IS AN OUTSIDE
CHANCE SOME THUNDER MAY APPROACH KRIW/KLND AS WELL, BUT
CONFIDENCE IS NOT CURRENTLY HIGH THEY WILL DRIFT THIS FAR
SOUTH, SO HAVE LEFT OUT FOR NOW. ALL SHOWERS WILL BE DISSIPATING
AROUND 00Z/08 WITH LOSS OF DAYTIME HEATING.
SITES WEST OF THE DIVIDE WILL NOT SEE SHOWERS TOMORROW, WITH
ONLY ISSUE BEING GUSTY WINDS. KJAC WILL BE GUSTING NEAR 20KTS,
KBPI/KPNA GUSTING 25KTS, AND KRKS GUSTING 35 TO 40KTS THROUGH
THE AFTERNOON. WINDS WILL RELAX AROUND SUNSET THURSDAY EVENING.
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.
UPDATE...WITTMANN
DISCUSSION...LOWE
AVIATION...STRAUB
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