textproduct: Western and Central Wyoming

KEY MESSAGES

- A dry cold front brings cooler temperatures east of the Divide today, as well as a less windy afternoon. West of the Divide is similar to yesterday, with a gusty west wind 20 to 35 mph. Elevated fire weather conditions will be present.

- Warming trend Thursday through Saturday. Some isolated shower and thunderstorm chances (15-40%) occur each day.

- Cooler, with precipitation chances, starting this weekend as the next weather system moves in. Low confidence at this time with how the system will evolve through the weekend and into early next week.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 149 AM MDT Wed Apr 8 2026

A cold front is currently passing through the area this morning. It is not particularly potent, and will therefore get stuck at the Continental Divide, mainly impacting locations east with cooler temperatures today. Still, temperatures are above normal for this time of year. This front also lacks moisture. A few light snow showers linger around the Bighorn Mountains early this morning, and should end around mid-morning. For locations west of the Divide, where the front's influence is unfelt, temperatures are similar to yesterday. Where winds east of the Divide are lighter today behind the front, locations west of the Divide see another day of gusty westerly winds. Peak afternoon gusts 25 to 35 mph will be common across southern areas, leading to another day of elevated fire weather conditions.

For Thursday, a negatively-tilted ridge passes through. This results in similar temperatures to today, if not a few degrees warmer. It will be a breezy day as well, with fairly widespread gusts 20 to 30 mph for the area. Some moisture will also move through over southern Wyoming, which may be just enough to produce some isolated (15-20%) showers from an Afton-Casper line and south. An isolated thunderstorm is possible (15%) amongst these showers. The terrain of the Wind River Mountains may also aid in producing a shower as well. Overall, any rain amounts would be very limited, under a tenth of an inch, if any. The bigger concern here would be the potential of any lightning given the dry conditions.

Friday and Saturday are similar to Thursday, as temperatures increase further with the ridge moving through. A little bit of moisture in advance of the next weather system may spark some afternoon showers (or isolated thunderstorm). Saturday the chances are better as the system approaches.

The next notable weather system looks to be a Pacific low moving onshore around northern California this weekend. The GFS and ECMWF have differing locations and timings (typical) of this system, so confidence is low on overall pattern, and thus what the weather may look like. The best guess for now is for cooler temperatures to move in either Sunday or Monday, with precipitation chances, likely more favored across the west, especially initially. Depending on how the system moves through and evolves early nest week will determine what locations are favored for moisture. Current EFI/SOT analysis does not suggest anything unusual for precipitation at this time.

AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z THURSDAY/

Issued at 445 AM MDT Wed Apr 8 2026

VFR conditions expected throughout the entirety of the period at all TAF sites remaining dry and few to scattered high clouds. Winds remain elevated at COD with the gap flow from the west all day. Other locations will increase after 15-17Z with daytime heating and mixing to the surface. Highest gusts up to 25kts at BPI/LND/PNA/RIW and up to 30kts at RKS. Winds will diminish after around 01-03Z around sunset due to radiational cooling becoming 8-10kts or less into the overnight hours through Thursday morning.

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.