321 FXUS65 KRIW 091747 AFDRIWArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Riverton WY 1147 AM MDT Thu Oct 9 2025
.KEY MESSAGES...
- Dry and warm conditions prevail across the CWA today.
- Chances for precipitation increase by the early morning hours Friday with precipitation chances spreading north through the day.
- Showers will be possible across lower elevations throughout the weekend with the best chances over western WY.
- A nearing disturbance will bring widespread chances for accumulating snow across western mountains by the second half of the weekend.
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.DISCUSSION... Issued at 221 AM MDT Thu Oct 9 2025
Warm and dry conditions persist across the Cowboy State today. Temperatures this morning will still be on the chilly side, especially across western WY. Temperatures this morning are expected to range from the upper 20s to lower 30s west of the Divide and upper 30s to lower 40s east of the Divide. Highs will be above normal with temperatures in the lower to upper 70s across the state. Near elevated fire weather conditions will be possible once again this afternoon along the Wind Corridor from Rock Springs to Casper. Winds will become breezy with periodic gusts of 20 to 25 mph across the Wind Corridor. Min RH still remains rather low sitting around 20%. Fire weather concerns will quickly diminish by Friday as tropical moisture increases across the area from the south and an unsettled active pattern develops for the weekend.
There are a lot of moving parts regarding the upcoming forecast for Friday through the weekend. The first thing to note is that the time frame, as expected, has slowed down. The high pressure that has been across the region through much of the week has gradually shifted to the east. The center of the high will settle over portions of Texas and New Mexico. The anticyclonic flow should help funnel tropical moisture associated with Hurricane Priscilla and its eventual remnants across parts of the Desert Southwest starting today. This plume of monsoonal- like moisture looks to eventually make its way into the southern CWA by the early morning hours Friday. This may lead to a few isolated showers and storms early Friday across Sweetwater, southern Lincoln, and Sublette Counties and possibly further north by the later morning hours Friday. Friday will have chances for showers and storms, as above normal PWATs enter the region. However, models have started to trend down on the coverage of these showers with the best chances (20-50%) being limited to southern and western WY. The bulk of the moisture arrives by Saturday spreading further north across nearly all of the CWA. Southwesterly flow enhances throughout Saturday aiding with the funneling of moisture across much of the region. A trough moving in from the PACNW will begin to shift east towards the CWA. The nearing trough should provide some favorable upper level dynamics that look to interact with the surplus of tropical moisture. All of this should combine to create a push of precipitation Saturday afternoon and evening across the CWA, starting from the southwest into the central basins and possibly northern areas. The nearing trough axis will supply enhanced jet dynamics late Saturday into early Sunday over western WY where flow looks to be the most favorable for a period of upsloping. The trough will also bring with it colder air leading to accumulating snowfall over the western mountains. Lower elevations of western WY may see a brief transition from cold rain to a wet heavy snow early Sunday morning. Parts of the Jackson and Star Valleys may end up with a wet slushy coating of snow by Sunday morning. Precipitation will shift eastward through the day Sunday as the trough moves across the state and to the east. Looking at snowfall amounts, model guidance is showing a 30-60% chance for advisory criteria amounts (6 inches or more) mainly across the higher elevations of the Tetons, Absarokas and YNP, such as Pitchstone Plateau.
A brief lull in activity looks to occur Monday into Tuesday. Cold temperatures may be possible as the trough moves out the area Sunday night into Monday morning. There are early indications of widespread sub freezing morning lows possible for Monday. Western WY may see temperatures in the low 20s and possibly upper teens with lows around the upper 20s east of the Divide. Still being a few days out this may be subject to change. It is worth keeping an eye on especially with some areas still not seeing a hard freeze yet. Chilly temperatures will persist across the region with highs likely in the 50s for Monday and Tuesday. The upcoming week is looking messing and active with the potential for another disturbance moving in from Canada for the middle of next week. Timing and impacts are still very uncertain at this point and a better idea of what to expect likely wont happen until the weekend.
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.AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z FRIDAY/... Issued at 1146 AM MDT Thu Oct 9 2025
VFR flight conditions are forecast to persist through the TAF period with winds generally 8 to 12kts. At KJAC, brief instances of southwesterly gusts up to 20kts are forecast this afternoon. Winds diminish at all terminals after sunset with mid to high clouds increasing from the southwest ahead of the next weather system. There is a 30% chance of rain showers beginning first at KRKS around 11Z, followed by KJAC after 14Z and these chances are reflected in a PROB30. MVFR ceilings with heavier showers cannot be ruled out at KRKS and KJAC but given low chances there is no mention in TAF.
Rain showers become more widespread with KBPI and KPNA having a 20% chance of rain showers after 15Z. Similarly, all east of the Divide terminals have a 10% to 20% chance of rain showers after 16Z. Because of these low chances, there is no mention in TAF at this time.
Please see the Aviation Weather Center and/or CWSU ZDV and ZLC for the latest information on smoke, icing, and turbulence forecasts.
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.RIW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None.
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DISCUSSION...Dziewaltowski AVIATION...Gerhardt
NWS RIW Office Area Forecast Discussion