Stormy Weekend

The highlight of the weekly weather video briefing out of the Riverton Forecast Office is the coming storm over the weekend including much colder.



Weekly Weather Briefing

Winter Returns by the Weekend

The beautiful weather that has been been dominating Star Valley and Western Wyoming the past several days will be coming to an end. The coldest air mass of the Fall will be pouring south out of western Canada by the end of the week. The ridge of high pressure that was centered over Wyoming Tuesday will rapidly weaken  with a high pressure ridge building northward off the west coast.

The system that will bring the coldest air is just entering Alaska  from Eastern Siberia. It will be  preceded by a couple weaker impulses that will cross the western states the next couple of days.

While clouds will be prevalent, the initally dry air mass will limit the snow potential until the stronger system arrives by weeks end.

Following are a series of 500mb forecast charts depicting the transition of the large scale pattern for the rest of the week.

6pm Tue 11/12/13

6pm Wed 11/13/13

6pm Thu 11/14/13

6pm Fri 11/15/13

6pm sat 11/16/13

This model brings clouds and gradually colder daytime temperatures through the remainder of the work week.  Some snow will be possible by Thursday and Friday with the passage of the upper systems. Then more serious snow potential and much colder air will arrive over the weekend  Too early to forecast the amount of snow as the system that will be the primary source has yet to even  enter Alaska as of Tuesday  evening. However temperatures will remain well below freezing over the weekend with potentially nighttime readings dropping to single digits Sunday night.

Tacloban, Philipinnes after passage of Typhoon Haiyan

Eye of Super Typhoon Haiyan approaching Tacloban. Philippines

Probably the strongest Typhoon/Hurricane of modern times just as the eye and its 30 foot storm surge were crossing the coast near Tacloban, Phiippines(black X).  Winds were estimated, sustained to 190 MPH with gust to 230 MPH!

Following is a video taken in Tacloban as survivors began to recover.

Video of Tacloban after the passage of Typhoon Haiyan

The Eye of Haiyan

An amazing video of the visual eye of Super Typhoon Haiyan as it moves toward the Philippine Islands


Visible Movie of Haiyan

Warmer and Drier Weather Ahead

After a stormy and snow first week of November, it now appears that a pattern change to warmer and drier weather  is in store for next week.  Riverton Forecast Office summarizes this well in their weekly weather briefing.



Riverton Video Weather Briefing 

Catastrophic Damage Expected in Philippines with Super Typhoon Haiyan

Water Vapor Image of  Typhoon Haiyan

Super Typhoon  Haiyan is now rated as one of the most intense ever observed.

It will impact the Philippines within the next 24 hours and will create tremendous damage and potential loss of life.  Jeff Masters of Weather Underground has blogged Typhoon Haiyan.



Super Typhoon Haiyan Blog

Overnight Snow and Winter Cold

Overnight, Star Valley Ranch reported 7 inches of new snow with close to 10 inches on the ground.  Low temperatures this morning across Star Valley ranged from 15 at Star Valley Ranch down to 6 above at the Cakebread weather station which is located about 3 miles north of Thayne.  Thayne ES dipped to 8 above as did the Smoot station.