116 FXUS65 KRIW 271019 AFDRIWArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Riverton WY 419 AM MDT Sat Sep 27 2025
.KEY MESSAGES...
- Warm and dry weather returns today.
- Shower and thunderstorms will be possible over western portions Sunday and Tuesday.
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.DISCUSSION... Issued at 150 AM MDT Sat Sep 27 2025
Today will be the last quiet day for the next seven days, capping out a mostly quiet week since last Tuesday. Clear skies, light winds and seasonal to slightly above normal temperatures will be in place today and tonight. A great day to enjoy the outdoors before fall and winter really set in.
Clouds will begin to increase from the south this evening, spreading northward through the overnight hours. These clouds will be from moisture associated with a cutoff low that has been sitting over the Desert Southwest for the last several days. Moisture will continue to stream northward through the day Sunday, leading to isolated to widely scattered (10-20%) showers and thunderstorms to occur over mainly western portions of the CWA (along and west of a roughly Cody- to-Rock Springs line) through the afternoon. Wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph will be the main threat, as T/Td spreads will be around 40 degrees. Any remaining shower or storm is expected to end by midnight.
The cutoff low will begin to fill Sunday and get kicked from a significant longwave trough over the EPAC. This trough will be the focus for the next week. Precipitation will be even less across the area Monday, as the remnant low moves northeast over CO and southeast WY. The main effect from the low will be cooler midlevel temperatures and continued southerly flow aloft. This will keep temperatures near normal west of the Divide and slightly above normal east of the Divide.
The longwave trough will move onshore over the West Coast Monday night into Tuesday, filling and weakening as it does so. Showers and thunderstorms will be possible over western portions Tuesday afternoon as a result. The chances for widespread precipitation have lowered quite significantly from yesterday, as model trends have the trough much more shallower and staying more to the west and north. Ridging will briefly build over the Cowboy State Wednesday, as the upper low associated with the trough becomes better organized and makes its way toward the Puget Sound area. This trend will continue Thursday, but gusty southwest winds become more likely as the gradient begins to tighten as the system begins to move onshore over the PACNW. Elevated fire weather conditions look likely as a result of this pattern. The timing of when this system moves over the CWA remain in flux, as it could be as early as next Friday or it could occur through the weekend.
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.AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z SUNDAY/... Issued at 417 AM MDT Sat Sep 27 2025
Mostly clear skies will lead to continued VFR conditions through the period. Wind will remain fairly light, generally under 10 knots. Mid to high level clouds will increase from south to north after 04Z tonight, but any showers would hold off until after 12Z Sunday.
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...LaVoie AVIATION...Hattings
NWS RIW Office Area Forecast Discussion