RIVERTON, Wyo. – The calm before Wyoming’s first true taste of winter is here. A bright, still dawn over the Wind River Basin hides what’s coming next: gusty winds, mountain snow, and colder air sweeping in by Sunday night.
According to the National Weather Service in Riverton, a Winter Storm Warning takes effect at 11 p.m. Saturday for the Absaroka, Teton, Wind River, and Wyoming ranges, where several inches of snow could accumulate through Monday. Gusty southwest winds—30 to 50 mph—will create whiteout conditions at times along mountain passes, especially near Togwotee and South Pass. Travelers planning cross-state trips or early-week commutes should prepare for difficult travel and blowing snow in higher elevations.
For the lower valleys, including Riverton and Lander, the main impacts will come from wind and a sharp temperature drop. Sunday afternoon brings increasing clouds, scattered rain showers, and gusts near 35 mph, before cooler air settles in Monday. Highs will fall from the upper 60s Saturday to the lower 50s Monday, with lows dipping into the 20s by Tuesday morning—cold enough for patchy frost across open fields and rangeland.
Conditions improve by midweek as skies clear and temperatures rebound into the 50s, offering calmer weather for outdoor work and Halloween preparations. Still, Wyoming’s first winter system is a clear reminder: November’s chill is closing in fast.
Five-Day Forecast for Riverton, WY:
Sat: 67/38 – Mostly sunny; breezy southwest winds gusting near 30 mph.
Sun: 61/33 – Cloudy; scattered rain/snow showers, gusts near 35 mph.
Mon: 51/24 – Breezy; colder, clearing later in the day.
Tue: 51/25 – Sunny; calm, frosty morning.
Wed: 58/28 – Mostly sunny; mild and dry.
