High Wind Watch 13, NWS Riverton, WY

695 
WWUS75 KRIW 290233
NPWRIW

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY
833 PM MDT FRI MAR 28 2014

...VERY STRONG WINDS EXPECTED ACROSS THE CODY FOOTHILLS AND
ADJACENT ABSAROKA MOUNTAINS LATE TONIGHT AND SATURDAY...

.STRONG MOUNTAIN TOP WINDS COMBINED WITH FAVORABLE ATMOSPHERIC
CONDITIONS SHOULD PRODUCE VERY STRONG WINDS AT TIMES ACROSS THE
EASTERN SLOPES OF THE ABSAROKA MOUNTAINS AND ADJACENT CODY
FOOTHILLS LATE TONIGHT AND SATURDAY.

WYZ002-003-291145-
/O.UPG.KRIW.HW.A.0013.140329T0900Z-140330T0000Z/
/O.NEW.KRIW.HW.W.0017.140329T0900Z-140330T0000Z/
ABSAROKA MOUNTAINS-CODY FOOTHILLS-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...CODY...MEETEETSE
833 PM MDT FRI MAR 28 2014

...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 3 AM TO 6 PM MDT SATURDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN RIVERTON HAS ISSUED A HIGH WIND
WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 3 AM TO 6 PM MDT SATURDAY. THE
HIGH WIND WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT. 

* SUMMARY AND TIMING...WEST WINDS WILL INCREASE THROUGH TONIGHT
  WITH HIGH WINDS DEVELOPING IN SOME AREAS BY 3 AM TONIGHT...AND
  PERSISTING THROUGH THE DAY SATURDAY. THE MOST IMPACTED AREA
  WILL BE ALONG THE CHIEF JOSEPH HIGHWAY NEAR DEAD INDIAN
  PASS...AS WELL AS ALONG HIGHWAY 120 FROM CLARK TO NORTH OF CODY.

* WIND...WEST 30 TO 40 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 60 MPH. HIGHER GUSTS TO
  80 MPH ARE POSSIBLE NEAR CLARK...AND OVER THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS
  OF THE ABSAROKA MOUNTAINS. WINDS IN CODY ARE EXPECTED TO RANGE
  BETWEEN 20 AND 30 MPH...WITH A FEW GUSTS OF 45 TO 50 MPH. THE
  STRONGEST WINDS FOR CODY COULD ACTUALLY HOLD OFF UNTIL SATURDAY
  AFTERNOON.

* IMPACTS...A BLOW OVER RISK...ESPECIALLY FOR LIGHTWEIGHT AND HIGH
  PROFILE VEHICLES ON AREA HIGHWAYS...INCLUDING HIGHWAY 120 AND
  CHIEF JOSEPH HIGHWAY. THERE WILL ALSO BE SIGNIFICANT BLOWING
  SNOW IN SOME AREAS ABOVE 7500 FEET.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A HIGH WIND WARNING MEANS A HAZARDOUS HIGH WIND EVENT IS EXPECTED
OR OCCURRING. SUSTAINED WIND SPEEDS OF AT LEAST 40 MPH OR GUSTS
OF 58 MPH OR MORE CAN LEAD TO PROPERTY DAMAGE. 

THE LATEST ROAD CONDITIONS PROVIDED BY THE WYOMING DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION ARE AVAILABLE BY CALLING 5-1-1 OR ON THE INTERNET
AT WYOROAD.INFO.

&&

$$

21

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY
1145 AM MDT FRI MAR 28 2014

.SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT

AS OUR STORM SYSTEM EXITS TO THE EAST THIS MORNING...FLAT RIDGING
BUILDS INTO THE AREA WITH MILD AND RELATIVELY DRY NORTHWEST FLOW
RETURNING...ONLY A FEW WAA FLURRIES CONTINUING ACROSS THE WESTERN
MOUNTAINS TODAY. TEMPERATURES WILL BEGIN TO REBOUND A BIT AS THE
RIDGE TAKES OVER AND A LEE SIDE TROUGH DIGS AT THE SURFACE...TURNING
THE WIND MACHINE BACK ON BETWEEN ROCK SPRINGS AND CASPER. FLOW ALOFT
WILL BE INCREASING THROUGH THE DAY AS WELL AND TURNING MORE WESTERLY
AS THE RIDGE FLATTENS...WITH GUSTY WINDS DEVELOPING IN THE MOUNTAINS
AND ADJACENT FOOTHILLS BY SUNSET. THE WARM DOWNSLOPE WINDS WILL KEEP
TEMPERATURES MILD OVERNIGHT.

FLOW TURNS BACK TO THE SOUTHWEST ON SATURDAY AS THE NEXT TROUGH
PUSHES THE BACK SIDE OF THE RIDGE INTO THE AREA...ALONG WITH SOME
MILD AIR ALOFT...IN THE 75TH PERCENTILE FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR...SO
ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES ARE POSSIBLE. A LEE SIDE TROUGH IS
MAINTAINED AT THE SURFACE...KEEPING THE GRADIENT TIGHT AND
ENCOURAGING DEEPER MIXING AND CREATING SOME DOWNSLOPE WARMING. WINDS
ALOFT WILL ALSO REMAIN ELEVATED AS HEIGHTS FALL RAPIDLY TO THE WEST
WITH THE APPROACH OF THE NEXT SYSTEM. THIS STRONG SOUTHWEST FLOW
SHOULD LINK UP NICELY ACROSS THE SOUTHERN WIND CORRIDOR IN THE
AFTERNOON WITH SOME GUSTS OVER 40 MPH WILL BE COMMON ACROSS THE I80
CORRIDOR INTO CASPER. SO WHILE IT WILL BE WARM...IT WILL BE BREEZY
TO WINDY ACROSS MUCH OF THE FORECAST AREA. THE LEADING SHORT WAVE
AHEAD OF THE NEXT SYSTEM ARRIVES SATURDAY NIGHT WITH RAIN AND SNOW
BEGINNING ACROSS THE WEST BEFORE MIDNIGHT.

THE LATEST MODEL RUNS HAVE THE NEXT UPPER TROUGH DIGGING INTO THE
FOUR CORNERS REGION BY SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND ZIPPING EAST INTO
NORTHERN COLORADO IN THE EARLY EVENING HOURS. THERE WILL ALSO BE
RAPID LEE CYCLOGENESIS AT THE SURFACE SUNDAY EVENING...SOME MODEL
SOLUTIONS WOULD HAVE THE SURFACE LOW STRENGTHENING OVER NORTHEASTERN
COLORADO...ENHANCING SNOW CHANCES EAST OF THE DIVIDE FOR SUNDAY
NIGHT AS FAVORABLE UPSLOPE FLOW DEVELOPS. MOST OF THE PRECIP EARLY
ON WILL BE RAIN...ESPECIALLY EAST OF THE DIVIDE WITH A CHANGEOVER TO
SNOW LATER ON SUNDAY NIGHT WHEN THE COLD FRONT DIPS SOUTH AND
UPSLOPE FLOW DEVELOPS. THERE IS SOME DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN THE MODELS
CONCERNING THE EXACT TRACK...TIMING AND STRENGTH OF THESE
FEATURES...WHICH WILL HAVE A BIG IMPACT ON WHERE THE HEAVIER SNOW
FALLS. ALSO...AS MOST SYSTEMS ARE THIS TIME OF YEAR...THIS TROUGH
WILL DRAG ALONG SOME INSTABILITY THAT WILL ENCOURAGE SHOWERY
ACTIVITY AND SNOW BANDING...REINFORCED BY PLENTY OF QG FORCING AND
SOME JET SUPPORT THERE IS DEFINITELY SOME POTENTIAL FOR SOME
HIGHLIGHT WORTHY SNOW TOTALS...ESPECIALLY IN THE MOUNTAINS. WILL
HAVE TO WAIT FOR SOME BETTER MODEL CONSENSUS BEFORE THESE AREAS ARE
IDENTIFIED.

.LONG TERM...MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

THERE MAY BE LINGERING PRECIP EAST OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE MONDAY
MORNING BEFORE DRYING MOVES IN FOR MONDAY AFTERNOON. THE FAR WEST
LOOKS TO BE MOSTLY DRY MONDAY. THE NEXT LARGE TROUGH MOVES ONSHORE
INTO THE WESTERN U.S. MONDAY NIGHT. THIS BRINGS A SW FLOW INTO WY
LATE MONDAY NIGHT WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME RAIN OR SNOW
DEVELOPING OVER SOUTHERN AND SOUTHWEST WY. THE GFS AND ECMWF HAVE
DIFFERING OPINIONS ON HOW THIS TROUGH MOVES THROUGH THE ROCKIES TUE
AND WED. THE ECMWF SPLITS THE SYSTEM WITH A PIECE OF IT ROTATING
UP INTO MONTANA ON WED AND A SOUTHERN PIECE MOVING ACROSS THE FOUR
CORNERS WED. THE GFS SENDS OUT A PIECE OF THE TROUGH THROUGH WY/CO
ON TUE AND THEN TAKES THE BULK OF THE TROUGH ACROSS THE FOUR
CORNERS WED INTO WED NIGHT. AT THIS TIME I HAVE LEANED TOWARD THE
GFS AND KIND OF DISCOUNTING THE ECMWF IDEA OF THE CIRCULATION OVER
MONTANA WED. THIS MEANS THAT THE BEST CHANCE OF PRECIP TUE AND WED
WILL BE OVER THE CENTRAL AND SOUTH WITH A LESSER CHANCE OVER THE
NORTH. IT IS LIKELY THAT THE TRACK OF THIS TROUGH WILL CONTINUE TO
VARY IN THE COMING DAYS AND THUS ADJUSTMENTS TO THE FORECAST ARE
EXPECTED. NEXT THURSDAY LOOKS TO BE DRY FOR THE REGION. THEN NEXT
FRIDAY THE NEXT WEATHER SYSTEM ENTERS THE WESTERN U.S. AND SPREADS
MOISTURE TOWARD WESTERN WY. HAVE BROUGHT IN A CHANCE OF PRECIP TO
THE WEST. THE REST OF THE AREA WILL BE DRY NEXT FRIDAY. AS FOR
HIGH TEMPS...MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY WILL BE ON THE COOL SIDE DUE
TO THE UNSETTLED WEATHER PATTERN AND CLOUDINESS. NEXT THURSDAY AND
FRIDAY SHOULD BE MILDER WITH MORE SUNSHINE.

&&

.AVIATION.../18Z ISSUANCE/

WEST OF THE DIVIDE...KJAC/KPNA/KBPI/KRKS ROUTES

MOST OF THE FOG AND OW CLOUDS OVER THE FAR WEST HAS DISSIPATED. THE
LINGERING SCT LOW CLOUDS SHOULD DISSIPATE BY 19Z THIS AFTERNOON. THE
MAIN AVIATION CONCERN TODAY WILL BE MOUNTAIN SNOW SHOWERS AND THE
ASSOCIATED OBSCURATIONS. SOME SNOW SHOWER ACTIVITY COULD SPILL INTO
THE LOWER ELEVATIONS...BUT MUCH OF THE ACTIVITY SHOULD REMAIN
ANCHORED OVER THE MOUNTAINS. THE MAIN AFFECT SHOULD BE SCT-BKN LOW
VFR CEILINGS IN THE FAR WESTERN VALLEYS. BREEZY SOUTHERLY WINDS ARE
EXPECTED AT KJAC AND WINDY WESTERLY WINDS AT KRKS THIS AFTERNOON. A
STORM SYSTEM WILL APPROACH THE AREA TONIGHT WITH AN INCREASE IN SNOW
OVER NORTHWEST WYOMING WITH MUCH OF THE ACTIVITY EXPECTED TO REMAIN
NORTH OF KJAC.

EAST OF THE DIVIDE...KCPR/KCOD/KLND/KRIW/KWRL ROUTES

ANY LINGERING SCATTERED LOW CLOUDS OVER KWRL SHOULD DISSIPATE BY 19Z
THIS AFTERNOON. OTHERWISE...EXPECT VFR CONDITIONS TODAY. AN
APPROACHING STORM SYSTEM SHOULD RESULT IN SOME LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR
DEVELOPING IN THE FOOTHILLS...ESPECIALLY NEAR KCOD TONIGHT.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...

SNOW TAPERING OFF TODAY IN MOST AREAS...WITH ONLY FLURRIES
CONTINUING ACROSS THE WEST...WARM AND WINDY ON SATURDAY FOLLOWED BY
ANOTHER WET SYSTEM ON SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY WITH A WETTING RAIN
AND SNOW EXPECTED ACROSS ALL DISPATCH AREAS.

&&

.RIW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NONE.
&&

SHORT TERM...ALLEN
LONG TERM...AR
AVIATION...LIPSON
FIRE WEATHER...ALLEN

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY
400 AM MDT FRI MAR 28 2014

WYZ001>020-022>030-291200-
ABSAROKA MOUNTAINS-BIGHORN MOUNTAINS SOUTHEAST-
BIGHORN MOUNTAINS WEST-CASPER MOUNTAIN-CODY FOOTHILLS-
EAST SWEETWATER COUNTY-FLAMING GORGE-
GREEN MOUNTAINS AND RATTLESNAKE RANGE-JACKSON HOLE-LANDER FOOTHILLS-
NATRONA COUNTY LOWER ELEVATIONS-NORTH BIG HORN BASIN-
NORTHEAST JOHNSON COUNTY-OWL CREEK AND BRIDGER MOUNTAINS-
ROCK SPRINGS AND GREEN RIVER-SALT RIVER AND WYOMING RANGES-
SOUTH LINCOLN COUNTY-SOUTHEAST BIG HORN BASIN-
SOUTHEAST JOHNSON COUNTY-SOUTHWEST BIG HORN BASIN-STAR VALLEY-
TETON AND GROS VENTRE MOUNTAINS-UPPER GREEN RIVER BASIN-
UPPER GREEN RIVER BASIN FOOTHILLS-UPPER WIND RIVER BASIN-
WIND RIVER BASIN-WIND RIVER MOUNTAINS EAST-WIND RIVER MOUNTAINS WEST-
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK-
400 AM MDT FRI MAR 28 2014

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WESTERN AND CENTRAL WYOMING.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

SATURDAY...STRONG WINDS POSSIBLE FROM THE RED DESERT TO THE CASPER
AREA.

SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY...A COLD FRONT WILL LIKELY BRING
SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW TO THE NORTHERN AND WESTERN MOUNTAINS.
A COLDER NORTHERLY FLOW BEHIND THE FRONT MAY BRING BANDS OF
SNOW SHOWERS INTO CENTRAL WYOMING BY SUNDAY EVENING THROUGH SUNDAY
NIGHT.

TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY...A COMPLEX STORM SYSTEM WILL MOVE TOWARD THE
AREA. RAIN AND MOUNTAIN SNOW IS LIKELY OVER MUCH OF THE REGION
TUESDAY. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE OVER THE SOUTH. RAIN IS
LIKELY TO CHANGE OVER TO SNOW TUESDAY NIGHT OVER THE CENTRAL AND
SOUTH WITH THE SNOW LINGERING INTO MIDDAY WEDNESDAY. THE TRACK OF
THIS STORM MAY CHANGE SO CHECK BACK FOR UPDATES OVER THE WEEKEND.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED TODAY AND TONIGHT.

TEAM RIVERTON