616
FXUS65 KRIW 180452
AFDRIW

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Riverton WY
952 PM MST Mon Nov 17 2025

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Mostly cloudy skies tonight, as isolated showers wane.

- Temperatures will be slightly warmer Tuesday and Wednesday
  with dry conditions.

- The weather pattern is trending toward cool and mostly dry for
  the rest of the week into this weekend as weather systems
  miss Wyoming to the south.

- With the weather systems sliding south, temperatures will
  remain cool, but close to normal for mid-November.

&&

.UPDATE...
Issued at 1254 PM MST Mon Nov 17 2025

The rain and mountain snow is trying to hang on this afternoon, but
ultimately will taper off by this evening as the upper-low slides
east. As expected temperatures are cool, but close to normal for
this time of year. Wind will remain breezy through the afternoon
across southern Wyoming, with gusts of 25 to 35 mph. It should be a
bit warmer Tuesday and Wednesday thanks to high pressure, but there
will be enough cloud cover to prevent highs from reaching values of
the past week. This means highs will be in the 50s east of the
Continental Divide and 40s west of the Continental Divide. There
remains much uncertainty in regards to the weather pattern and
system late this week into this weekend. There is a better
chance (70%) for minimal impacts than moderate to high impacts
(30%).

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 207 AM MST Mon Nov 17 2025

Portions of the Cowboy State are finally seeing some more autumn-like
weather after a prolonged period of mild and dry conditions. An
upper level low has made its way north after bringing heavy
rain/snow to parts of the southwestern CONUS. Showers are
currently gradually spreading across the state this morning.
Many locations are seeing rain due to the overall warm nature of
this system. However, colder air is trying to funnel its way
into the region. 700mb temperatures show this colder air over
parts of western and southern WY this morning. Rain has already
begun to transition over to snow for locations such as Afton and
Pinedale. This colder air is expected to continue to spread
east and north through the morning. However these "colder"
temperatures are still rather tame with values only ranging
from -4C to 0C. So while these temperatures are colder than
what we have seen over the past week or so, its still on the
warmer side. As a result, many areas will likely see rain as the
predominate form of precipitation with only the higher
elevations of western and southern WY seeing a transition to
snow during the day Monday. Precipitation is expected to fall
periodically throughout much of the day today, as the low makes
its way over to the east of the state.

Winter Weather Advisories remain in effect across the higher
elevations of western WY such as the Tetons, Gros Ventres,
Salt/Wyoming Ranges, and western Wind River Ranges. Favorable
flow will support enhanced orographics across these locations,
leading to snowfall amounts of 6 to 12 inches for elevations
around or above 9000 feet. Lesser amounts of a trace to a few
inches can be expected for the lower elevations. Western basins
may see a wet coating of snow, but overall impacts will be
minimal. The system makes its way out of the region this
afternoon with a few lingering showers possible during the
afternoon and evening as a result of wrap around moisture.

A lull in the activity is expected through the middle of the week as
the region sits in the middle of multiple disturbances. Weak ridging
over the region will keep things mainly quiet, but a few
showers cannot be ruled out at times. Temperatures for much of
the week look to be more seasonable, but still slightly above
normal ranging in the mid 40s to low 50s. Overnight temperatures
look to be more seasonable as well with lows in the upper teens
to low twenties west of the Divide and 20s east of the Divide.

The jet stream looks to have finally woken up and it is looking ever
so more likely that more November-like weather returns to the
state for the second half of the month. The aforementioned jet
stream is looking to ramp up sending one disturbance after
another. Currently, a cutoff low is expected to develop and fill
in over the southwestern CONUS for the next few days. Due to a
lack of forcing, this low looks to stagnate over that region
until something can help push it east. That push looks to arrive
by the second half of the week in the form of another
disturbance digging south across the western CONUS. The impacts
that may be seen across the state as a result of these
disturbances remains highly uncertain at this time. Models vary
greatly in regards to the track and exactly what the interaction
between these two lows will look like. Overall, there is an
increased likelihood for cooler and more unsettled weather by
the second half of the week into the weekend, but at this time
the exact details remain foggy.

&&

.AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z WEDNESDAY/...
Issued at 951 PM MST Mon Nov 17 2025

Broken to overcast VFR ceilings will persist across the area
through Tuesday morning, before lifting and/or scattering out
around 18Z. Thus, confidence for fog formation at KJAC, KBPI
and KPNA remains low. Mountain obscurations will also continue
over the western mountains through 18Z and redevelop over the
Bighorn Mountains after 12Z. These conditions will improve late
in the afternoon. SCT-BKN FL120-200 skies will then in place
through the rest of the TAF period. Winds around 25 kt will
develop at KCOD by the start of the forecast before subsiding by
10Z. Similar winds will develop at KCPR and only expected to
last between 18Z and 21Z. All other terminals will have light
winds (10 kt or less) through the forecast period.

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...Rowe
DISCUSSION...Dziewaltowski
AVIATION...LaVoie