textproduct: Western and Central Wyoming

KEY MESSAGES

- Near seasonable temperatures across the Cowboy State today with plenty of sunshine.

- Temperatures continue to warm through the remainder of the work week with well above normal values returning by Friday and Saturday.

- Precipitation chances look to gradually increase over the next few days with showers possible Thursday PM across southern WY.

- There continues to be the potential for a widespread precipitation event by the start of next week but at this time confidence regarding impacts remains low.

UPDATE

Issued at 113 PM MDT Wed Apr 8 2026

The warm April sun is out with force today as skies remain mostly clear with only a few swaths of high cirrus. However, the recent cold front passage has limited the degree of warming for much of central and northern WY. As a result, temperatures today may not get as high as originally thought. Currently, highs are forecast to get into the upper 50s to low 60s east of the Divide and low to mid 60s west of the Divide. Winds will remain breezy over southern WY this afternoon with gusts of 20 to 30 mph. Some stronger gusts nearing 40 mph may be possible in portions of Sweetwater County especially nearby Rock Springs.

Otherwise, the previous forecast is on track with little change to note at this time. The one slight adjustment is increasing chances for an isolated shower or even thunderstorm tomorrow afternoon/evening. The best chances (15-30%) look to be across southern and southwestern WY. However, due to the overall dryness of the atmosphere there is a good chance any liquid precipitation will struggle to reach the surface. So if any showers do develop, they will likely be in the form of virga showers.

The rest of the week into the weekend is on track with chances for showers and thunderstorms developing as early as Friday afternoon. The main focus over the next few days will be a potential Pacific low that may bring widespread chances for precipitation by the end of the weekend 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 /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z FRIDAY/

Issued at 443 PM MDT Wed Apr 8 2026

VFR conditions continue late this afternoon and through the overnight hours at all TAF sites across central and western WY. High clouds are expected to increase overnight along with some mid-level cumulus over the western mountains and SW WY. Gusty winds will decrease around sunset this evening with generally north winds east of the divide and west-northwest winds west of the divide. As a weak disturbance moves from northern Utah into far northern CO tomorrow morning, clouds will increase across southwest and southern WY, with some showers developing around the Uinta Mountains and moving south of KRKS during the afternoon. Gusty west-northwest winds will develop again across southwest WY before decreasing around sunset Thursday evening.

Another "dry" disturbance will move across southern MT overnight, bringing a cool front into northern WY Thursday morning. Gusty north winds will push into KCOD mid- to late-morning, then move southward into central WY during the day. There is a slight chance that KCOD will see MVFR conditions with the cool front, but conditions should improve to VFR by early afternoon. Overall, there should be more clouds on Thursday over WY, especially across the southern half of the state.

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.