textproduct: Western and Central Wyoming

KEY MESSAGES

- Midlevel ridge builds into the region today, bringing warmer temperatures. with highs in the 90s this afternoon.

- Monsoon moisture continues to draw into western WY this afternoon, with isolated showers and thunderstorms mainly for the western mountain ranges.

- This patter continues through the weekend, with hot temperatures approaching 100 degrees, but chances for showers and thunderstorms for the western mountains each afternoon.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 300 AM MDT Fri Jul 24 2026

H5 ridging begins to build across the southern Rockies today, reintroducing heat to the region. Temperatures today will reach the 90s for the lower elevations, with warmest readings in the usual lower elevations of the Bighorn Basin and along the I-25 corridor. The ridge axis remains to the east, allowing the monsoon moisture to continue to draw northward into western WY. Daytime heating will allow another round of showers and thunderstorms to build along the western mountain ranges. A lack of a considerable shortwave sweeping through will keep any significant organization of storms from occurring, with showers remaining more isolated in nature. The lighter steering flow around the ridge will allow showers to move off to the northeast from mountain ranges, but once they detach from the range, they will generally decrease and dissipate. With slightly lower moisture levels and enough steering flow to move any storms, will not need to continue any Flash Flood Watches for the day today. Once daytime heating decreases, showers will quickly dissipate, with mostly clear skies overnight.

Saturday will see the heat ridge strengthen slightly, bringing highs well into the 90s, with readings above 100 for the Bighorn Basin and Johnson County. There is a very weak shortwave noted in models, which may be enough to bring a little more organization to western showers and thunderstorms, but will they be able to overcome capping from the increased ridging is the question. Right now, shower activity looks to be more widespread, but showers would be smaller in nature, and would have better motion to keep from sitting in one place.

Longer range models don't have much change in this pattern for the upcoming week. High temperatures hover in the 90s each afternoon, while the chance for monsoon showers continues for the western mountains. Shower activity would be more dependent on any passing shortwaves enhancing any lift.

AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z SATURDAY/

Issued at 522 AM MDT Fri Jul 24 2026

VFR conditions will dominate most airports today, with mostly sunny skies and light winds. Shower and thunderstorm activity will remain limited today, with main impacts at KBPI/KPNA during the afternoon. Showers will also approach the KJAC vicinity in the afternoon, but most showers are expected to remain to the south. All shower activity will dissipate early this evening, with mostly clear skies overnight.

RIW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES