Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Riverton, WY
Issued by NWS Riverton, WY
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059 FXUS65 KRIW 140354 AFDRIW Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Riverton WY 954 PM MDT Sat Jul 13 2024 .KEY MESSAGES... - Wind gusts of 40 to 60 mph will be common from isolated showers and thunderstorms through sunset Saturday. - Elevated to near-critical fire weather conditions are expected through the weekend as temperatures remain above normal. Relative humidity will improve slightly on Sunday. - Smoke, originating primarily from Oregon wildfires, will continue to circulate into the state from the west creating hazy conditions through at least Sunday morning. - Seasonal temperatures the first half of the work week begin to increase late next week as another ridge of high pressure builds across the western US. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 100 PM MDT Sat Jul 13 2024 Midday water vapor imagery indicating a better push of mid-level moisture arriving from the southwest Saturday afternoon. Precipitable water rose from 0.44 Friday evening to 0.58 inches at KRIW this morning, while KSLC showed 0.64 inches. Weak convection, although isolated, has already ignited over the higher terrain of the west-central and far southwest. CAMS and trends over the recent few days point to more coverage of showers and storms particularly after 3 PM Saturday. Dew points in the lower 50s in the far north will allow for rain to reach the surface, primarily across northern portions of the Bighorn Basin and Johnson County. Jet energy and weakly cyclonic flow at 700mb also favors stronger convection in these areas. Elsewhere, boundary layer moisture is limited with temperature-dew point spreads of 40 to nearly 60 degrees at midday. Thus, again expect gusty outflow wind of 40 to perhaps 60 mph to be the primary hazard over central and southwest Wyoming until 6 or 7 PM Saturday. Daytime highs again top-out well above normal Saturday afternoon, as readings reach 88 to around 100F. Smoke from Oregon wildfires will continue to spread east into the state as it rotates around a Four Corners high. The main impacts will be a noted reduction in the 50+ mile visibility we are used to. Higher terrain will be hazy or obscured from a distance. The Four Corners high will continue to spin moisture north and east into the forecast area for Sunday. Precipitable water climbs to 0.60 to 0.80 inches by Sunday afternoon, dew points increase about 10F, and CAPE of 500-750 J/kg is expected. This combination leads to better coverage of wet showers and storms Sunday afternoon and early evening. Jet energy remains along and north of the Montana border taking with it a shortwave east through the Canadian Prairie Provinces Sunday and Sunday night. The weakly cyclonic flow persists over the far north where convective chances increase late Sunday. The cloud cover and precipitation leads to slightly cooler daytime highs Sunday. Convection wanes with the setting sun. After another hot day, overnight lows stay above normal. All areas to be cooler Monday and Tuesday as the last Canadian shortwave flattens the ridge. Weak northerly flow at the surface follows for areas east of the Continental Divide, while the west sees a west-northwest afternoon breeze. Temperatures return to seasonal for Monday and Tuesday, possibly lingering through Wednesday. Mid-level moisture rotating into the state from the south allows for typical diurnal convection, with areas east of the Continental Divide seeing the best chance. By late next week, ensemble clusters give confidence in the return of another ridge of high pressure across the western US. Above normal temperatures and a downturn in afternoon convection would be favored in this pattern. && .AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z MONDAY/... Issued at 938 PM MDT Sat Jul 13 2024 VFR conditions prevail through the period. Any showers across the area should end shortly after 06Z with winds becoming lighter. High level clouds will be increasing on Sunday. This brings increased rain chances for the area, though at this range it is difficult to have good confidence. Have added some PROB30 groups to the TAFs for Sunday afternoon and evening, though all sites currently have a roughly 15% to 30% chance of a shower or thunderstorm. Smoke also continues over the area. VFR conditions are expected to remain, though some mountain obscuration continues. Please see the Aviation Weather Center and/or CWSU ZDV and ZLC for the latest information on smoke, icing, and turbulence forecasts. && .FIRE WEATHER... Issued at 100 PM MDT Sat Jul 13 2024 A very dry lower atmosphere, much above normal temperatures, and gusty west wind and convective outflows combine to create elevated to near-critical fire weather conditions through sunset Saturday. Isolated showers and thunderstorms bring the threat of gusty and erratic outflow gusts of 40 to 60 mph, particularly across the high deserts of southwest Wyoming. With most lower elevation zones seeing relative humidity from 8 to 11 percent Saturday afternoon, overnight recovery will remain poor. Moisture from the southwest rotates into the state late tonight and Sunday. This provides a better chance of wet thunderstorms Sunday afternoon, along with slightly cooler temperatures and marginally better minimum relative humidity. This trend of more showers and storms continues into Monday leading to more cloud cover and temperatures closer to seasonal averages. && .RIW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Heat Advisory until 10 PM MDT Sunday for WYZ004>006-010-011- 017-018-020. && $$ DISCUSSION...CNJ AVIATION...Hattings FIRE WEATHER...CNJ