Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Riverton, WY
Issued by NWS Riverton, WY
Versions:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
954 FXUS65 KRIW 301057 AFDRIW Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Riverton WY 357 AM MST Sun Nov 30 2025 .KEY MESSAGES... - A weather system will bring mainly light snow to southern and southwestern Wyoming today and this evening. - Tomorrow will be a dry and somewhat milder day. - A couple of systems will bring additional chances for snow on Tuesday and the end of the week, although details are still fairly uncertain. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 201 AM MST Sun Nov 30 2025 It is a quiet, but rather cold night here at the humble Riverton weather abode. Some locations are having their coldest temperatures so far this season. Things will turn a bit more active again today though. The culprit for this is a weak area of low pressure that will drop across Idaho and then into Utah and Colorado today. This does not look like a big storm for us given that the system is fairly moisture starved and the best dynamics will remain to the south of Wyoming. As a result, snowfall amounts look relatively small. Ensemble guidance gives at most a 1 in 3 chance of 2 inches or more in the southern Star Valley and southern Lincoln County, with most other lower elevation locations having at most a 1 in 2 chance of an inch of snow. Nevertheless, there could be some impacts on a busy travel day at the end of the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, including Interstate 80. Not enough for an advisory though. The highest amounts will occur in the Salt and Wyoming Ranges, but even here there is only at most a 1 in 3 chance of 4 inches across the higher peaks with a near zero chance of 6 inches. As for elsewhere, a few snow showers could jump the Divide but any amounts east of the Divide would likely be slim to none. The time of most impacts would be from around 9 am to 4 pm, with all snow ending by midnight tonight as the system moves away to the south and east. Otherwise, expect another cold day with temperatures averaging 5 to 10 degrees below normal under mostly cloudy/overcast skies. High pressure should bring a dry start to the work week on Monday with temperatures climbing closer to seasonal normals, as our air mass modifies a bit. There will be a gusty wind in the Wind Corridor from Rock Springs through Casper ahead of the next weather system. This system will bring impacts for Tuesday into Tuesday night. Most areas have the potential for more accumulating snow. Ensemble guidance gives much of northern and central Wyoming at least a 1 out of 3 chance of 2 inches of snow or more, although again this does not look like a major storm, with the chance of 6 inches or more generally less than 1 out of 4 except in the mountains. The problem with this system is that there are a lot of moving parts and guidance still has a rather substantial spread on most aspects including timing and placement of the heavier snow. So, confidence is fairly high there will be some snow, but exact details are still uncertain. Then, after a dry Thursday, another system may approach for the end of the week and next weekend. Like Tuesday`s system, there is still a decent spread in guidance and details are difficult to resolve this far out. Temperatures should average fairly close to seasonal normals, with the coldest temperatures expected Wednesday behind the next cold front. However, no arctic outbreaks are expected for the next week. && .AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z MONDAY/... Issued at 355 AM MST Sun Nov 30 2025 West of the Continental Divide...KJAC/KRKS/KPNA/KBPI Terminals A quick-moving shortwave will rotate across southwest Wyoming with the greatest impacts during the day Sunday. VFR conditions begin to deteriorate between 13Z-16Z with IFR/MVFR conditions developing around 16Z at KBPI/KPNA and 18Z at KRKS. The north end of this wave wraps around to the vicinity of KJAC. Current trends keep MVFR to the south of KJAC, so only have PROB30 low-end VFR conditions from 15Z to 19Z. Conditions slowly improve from north- to-south between 21Z and 00Z as the wave pushes south over CO. VFR conditions follows at all terminals, although the Sunday night potential for fog will need to be monitored at KBPI/KPNA. Mountains frequently obscured from 15Z to 23Z. East of the Continental Divide...KCPR/KCOD/KRIW/KLND/KWRL Terminals Impacts from a quick-hitting shortwave moving through southwest Wyoming will be limited to lower-end VFR ceilings in the central basins during the midday hours Sunday. There could be a few snow showers spilling over the Divide near KLND after 17Z, with a 30 percent chance for MVFR conditions. Light snow will also push up from the south over KCPR, but impacts will be limited to marginal VFR conditions. Otherwise, VFR conditions reign through the period. Mountain top obscurations occur through 22Z. Cloud cover dissipates from north-to- south after 22Z with high cirrus clouds over the area by 03Z. Please see the Aviation Weather Center and/or CWSU ZLC and ZDV for the latest information on icing, turbulence, and smoke forecasts. && .RIW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && $$ DISCUSSION...Hattings AVIATION...LaVoie/CNJ