Wyoming

50-Degree Temperature Plunge, Snow On The Way For Much Of Wyoming

Published

11 months ago

April 15, 2025

50-Degree Temperature Plunge, Snow On The Way For Much Of Wyoming

Enjoy the unseasonably warm April weather while it lasts, because it’ll be gone by Thursday.

A slow-moving cold front will move across Wyoming between Wednesday night and Friday. When it does, temperatures will drop up to 50 degrees in some places, and the entire state will get some snow.

“At this time of year, you can see the pendulum swing from one direction to another very quickly,” said Cowboy State Daily meteorologist Don Day. “We’re going to see equal but opposite extremes in temperature on Thursday and Friday, and just about everyone’s going to see snow.”

Pendulum Swings

Day categorized the incoming cold front as “a true taste of winter” returning to Wyoming. That’s not uncommon in April, but the intense reversal will catch a lot of Wyomingites off guard.

“Last week, we had temperatures in the 70s and 80s,” he said. “This Friday, temperatures will be more than 50 degrees colder in places. I’m looking at 32 degrees in Cody, 28 degrees in Cheyenne and 25 degrees in Laramie. And those are the highs.”

Thursday night and Friday morning temperatures could be in the upper teens and lower 20s, and Day wouldn’t be surprised to see subzero temperatures in Yellowstone National Park.

However, Day wouldn’t categorize this as an extreme switch, especially during a historically volatile month like April. It’s just the luck of the draw in Wyoming.

“One thing about Wyoming is that we’re situated to be affected by air masses from much different source regions,” he said. “¥ou get air out of the deserts today and tomorrow, followed by air out of the Pacific Northwest on Thursday and Friday.

“Sometimes, those air masses switch in less than 24 hours. But the pendulum swinging is normal in April. People talk about what the normal highs and lows should be, but all normal are averages of the extremes.”

When It Snows, It Pours

Between Wednesday night and Friday, nearly all of Wyoming will see some precipitation, probably in the form of snow. However, there’s still some uncertainty about how much precipitation will fall and the proportion of wet snow to cold rain.

“The precipitation moving in with the front may start as rain in some places, or may be all snow in other places,” said meteorologist Celia Hensley with the National Weather Service office in Riverton. “The biggest question mark with this forecast is how intense will it be snowing.”

Hensley said there could be some snow accumulation depending on ground temperature. Snow is expected to start sticking on grassy surfaces, but it could get cold enough to form on roads and highways, especially overnight.

“With temperatures right around that freezing mark, the precipitation should mostly be snow,” she said. “However, given our recent warmth, the time of year, and sun angle, impacts to travel on roadways during the daylight hours should be minimal. Higher elevation areas like mountain passes, Wind River Canyon, and Casper Mountain will be impacted more than lower elevation areas.”

Between Wednesday and Thursday, the entire state of Wyoming could receive up to half an inch of precipitation, rain, or snow.

According to NWS Riverton, communities like Cody, Casper, Buffalo, and Riverton have an 80% to 95% chance of getting over an inch of new snow by Saturday. Lander, meanwhile, has an 85% chance of seeing over four inches of snow during the same period.

“We’re looking at anywhere from three-tenths of an inch of moisture on the low end,” Hensley said. “Some places, especially in the mountains, may see up to an inch of moisture.”

This is one of those cold fronts where a few hundred feet could make all the difference. Hensley said it will be entirely dependent on air and ground temperatures once the snow starts to fall.

“What could be rain or light, misty snow in downtown Riverton could be heavy snow at the NWS Riverton Office, 500 feet higher up,” she said. “A few hundred feet of elevation could make all the difference in snowfall and whether it’s accumulating on roads.”

A slow-moving cold front is heading for Wyoming, which will drop temperatures by as much as 50 degrees for much of the state. It’ll also bring up to 4 inches of wet snow and black ice to some of the most hazardous roads and highways. (Wyoming Department of Transportation)

Will It Be Enough?

Michael Natoli with the NWS Office in Cheyenne is anticipating the “abrupt end” of the warm weather Wyoming has been enjoying for the last two weeks. The cold front should bring its full brunt to southeast Wyoming by Thursday evening.

“We may see some rain showers right at the beginning, but we expect this to transition to snow pretty quickly,” he said. “Amounts are still uncertain, but there is a potential for some accumulating snow, even in the valleys.”

The big question is whether this weather system will be enough to alleviate the drought gripping the southeast corner of Wyoming. Natoli said every drop of moisture is welcome, but the monthly threshold has yet to be reached.

“We’re headed into our wettest time of the year, but just one of these storms is not enough to dent the drought,” he said. “In Cheyenne, the average liquid precipitation in April is close to two inches through the month. So far, we have received essentially nothing. Half an inch of precipitation from this storm is the most likely scenario right now, which is a good amount, but we have a ways to go to make up the long-term deficit.”

Meanwhile, daytime highs in southeast Wyoming will be in the 20s and 30s. There’s no escaping the impact of this winter weather system.

“It’s going to cool down pretty quickly,” Natoli said. “This is going to be a pretty cold storm.”

Morning Warning

The consensus among Wyoming meteorologists is that the incoming cold front will be a full-fledged winter weather system and should be treated as such. That means anyone traveling will want to anticipate what they’ll encounter, depending on their timing.

“I do think there’s going to be travel problems, especially during the night hours,” Day said. “When it’s that cold, the snow accumulates, and ice could accumulate.”

Daytime travel shouldn’t be much of an issue, thanks to the sun angle keeping things just warm and bright enough to melt accumulated ice and snow. According to Day, the biggest “headaches” will be the consistently problematic areas like South Pass, Powder River Pass, Teton Pass, Togwotee Pass, and the section of I-80 between Cheyenne and Rawlins.

“It can freeze and snow during the day, but the April sun is intense enough to get through the clouds,” he said. “The times to watch out for during these April snow events are nights and mornings when it’s dark, and things ice up quickly, and all these areas will be problems overnight on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.”

Get It While It’s Good

The slow-moving cold front will have moved on by the weekend, and temperatures are expected to moderate to seasonal normals. However, Day said this pattern will set a precedent for the rest of April.

“Next week looks cold and unsettled, with more chances for rain and snow,” he said. “Temperatures over the weekend will still be chilly. It’s not going to stay as cold as it’ll get in Friday, but I expect it to be cooler and unsettled all the way through the end of April.”

According to Day, Wyoming wants it that way. Cooler temperatures will slow the melting of the state’s snowpack, moderating the amount of water flowing into the river basins, fields, and reservoirs.

“You don’t want it to be too warm in April,” he said. “Then people start freaking out about the runoff and the mountains accelerating too quickly. You want it more metered and spread out, and this system will slow down the melt in the high country significantly.”

There could be another pendulum swing into the 80s before the end of April, but Day doesn’t think it’s likely. That leaves him with a simple message of calm before the storm.

“Enjoy the next two days,” he said, “because it’s going to be a bit before it gets this nice again.”

Andrew Rossi can be reached at arossi@cowboystatedaily.com.

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Wyoming

Two Champions Crowned as Wyoming Prep Girls Basketball Season Enters Final Week

Published

6 hours ago

March 9, 2026

Press Room

Two Champions Crowned as Wyoming Prep Girls Basketball Season Enters Final Week

The 2026 Wyoming prep girls’ basketball season is nearly done. Two state champions were crowned in Classes 1A and 2A last Saturday. Southeast won the 1A title for the third consecutive season, and Sundance won the 2A title for the first time in eight years. Class 3A and 4A held their regional tournaments, which qualified teams for the state tournament later this week in Casper.

WYOPREPS WEEK 12 GIRLS BASKETBALL STANDINGS 2026

These are the girls’ basketball team records for all games played through March 7, 2026. For all but 16 teams, this is the final record of the season. Those squads will play in the 3A-4A state tournament starting on Thursday in Casper.

1A Northwest: (Overall Record, followed by Conference Record)

Burlington 24-5, 8-0

Riverside 14-10, 6-2

Dubois 11-10, 4-4

St. Stephens 3-16, 1-7

Meeteetse 1-20, 1-7

1A Southwest: (Overall Record, followed by Conference Record)

Cokeville 23-4, 10-0

Little Snake River 23-4, 8-2

Farson-Eden 16-12, 5-5

Saratoga 13-11, 5-5

Ft. Washakie 8-13, 2-8

Encampment 3-19, 0-10

1A Northeast: (Overall Record, followed by Conference Record)

Upton 16-7, 10-0

Kaycee 13-12, 7-3

Hulett 12-13, 7-3

Arvada-Clearmont 9-12, 4-6

Casper Christian 4-13, 2-8

Midwest 1-16, 0-10

1A Southeast: (Overall Record, followed by Reg. Season Points)

Southeast 24-5, 40 points

Lingle-Ft. Laramie 17-11, 31 points

Lusk 15-13, 26 points

H.E.M. 13-11, 24 points

Rock River 6-14, 12 points

Guernsey-Sunrise 2-18, 4 points

2A Northwest: (Overall Record, followed by Conference Record)

Thermopolis 16-13, 5-1

Greybull 16-15, 4-2

Rocky Mountain 9-17, 2-4

Shoshoni 11-18, 1-5

2A Southwest: (Overall Record, followed by Conference Record)

Wyoming Indian 23-7, 6-0

Big Piney 8-16, 4-2

Kemmerer 2-21, 1-5

Wind River 2-23, 1-5

2A East: (Overall Record, followed by Conference Record)

Sundance 23-4, 5-0

Big Horn 21-6, 4-1

Tongue River 18-11, 3-2

Pine Bluffs 17-12, 2-3

Moorcroft 7-18, 1-4

Wright 3-23, 0-5

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3A West: (Overall Record, followed by Conference Record)

Cody 24-0, 10-0

Lander 21-4, 9-1

Pinedale 20-5, 7-3

Powell 16-9, 6-4

Lovell 16-10, 4-6

Worland 9-16, 2-8

Lyman 10-11, 2-8

Mountain View 4-19, 0-10

3A East: (Overall Record, followed by Conference Record)

Wheatland 22-4, 10-0

Buffalo 13-11, 8-2

Douglas 14-11, 6-4

Burns 16-13, 5-5

Torrington 10-11, 5-5

Glenrock 12-13, 3-7

Newcastle 1-22, 1-9

Rawlins 2-21, 0-10

4A Northwest: (Overall Record, followed by Conference Record)

Green River 23-2, 6-0

Natrona County 9-16, 4-2

Kelly Walsh 8-15, 2-4

Rock Springs 5-20, 0-6

4A Southwest: (Overall Record, followed by Conference Record)

Star Valley 16-7, 5-1

Evanston 16-10, 5-1

Riverton 7-19, 1-5

Jackson 3-19, 1-5

4A East: (Overall Record, followed by Conference Record)

Cheyenne East 21-3, 11-1

Cheyenne Central 16-9, 10-2

Sheridan 14-10, 7-5

Thunder Basin 14-10, 6-6

Laramie 12-11, 6-6

Campbell County 1-19, 1-10

Cheyenne South 1-21, 0-11

*The second Campbell County-Cheyenne South girls’ game was canceled.

Wyoming 3A Boys Swimming & Diving State Championships 2026

Photos from the 3A Boys State Swim Meet

Gallery Credit: Courtesy: Marcello Monterastelli Photography & Jared Newland, WHSAA

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Wyoming

Why This Wyoming Town Deserves More Attention

Published

18 hours ago

March 9, 2026

Press Room

Why This Wyoming Town Deserves More Attention

A pristine trail town tucked into the breathtaking beauty of western Wyoming, Dubois puts the ‘wild’ in the Wild West. Just 55 miles from Yellowstone National Park and located in the Wind River, Owl Creek, and Absaroka mountain ranges, the town is a welcoming alpine community with stunning views from every street. From enjoying the fresh powder on the winter slopes to hiking, biking, or riding through the wildflower-covered peaks in the summer, Dubois is a year-round destination that offers adventure in every season. In addition to its serene location, Dubois is a vibrant town with lots on the menu from fine dining to lively western-style saloons.

The History of Dubois

Old West piano player on the front port of historic saloon in Dubois, Wyoming. Image credit Sandra Foyt via Shutterstock

The Wind River Valley remained sparsely populated until the late 1800s, when pioneering homesteaders established the first settlements, initiating a small yet lively community. While fur traders, explorers, and some Native American tribes were familiar with the area, it was the arrival of homesteaders that helped shape its identity. This led to the emergence of a town, supported by the expansion of cattle and sheep ranching.

Dubois was officially incorporated in 1914 and grew over the years, benefiting from its logging, farming, and tourism sectors. Today, with a population of 778 as of the 2022 census, Dubois remains true to its Western heritage, offering visitors an authentic cowboy experience.

Things to Do in Dubois

CM Ranch in Dubois, Wyoming. Image credit Dana Lane via Flickr.com

Get that cowboy experience at one of the oldest guest ranches in the country, the CM Ranch which opened in 1927. It doesn’t matter whether you are an experienced rider, or never been on a horse, the experienced staff at this busy dude ranch will show you the ropes. Guests can choose their own adventure, from riding trails through desert badlands and mountain highlands to fly fishing in the backcountry.

Sunset on the Painted Hills Near Dubois, Wyoming.

Dubois is located in mountain country, possibly the only place where you can observe three distinct types of mountains: those formed by glaciers, volcano-created peaks, and ranges caused by shifting underground plates. It is a haven and playground for nature lovers. If you prefer walking over riding, numerous local guides are available to help you explore the trails and enjoy the best vistas. For those who prefer to go alone, the Bonneville Pass Trail offers a scenic climb through valley meadows, while the Five Pockets Trail provides spectacular views of Horse Creek with the Absaroka Mountains as a backdrop.

Look out for ancient carvings while you are exploring; Wyoming is home to stunning examples of rock art. In the Wind River Range, you will find the Torrey Lake Petroglyph District, which includes around 175 well-preserved petroglyphs. For more information on where to see the best pictograms or find accessible trails, speak to the staff at the Dubois Museum. This specialty museum traces the geology of the area, its early inhabitants, and its history of homesteading. They also offer custom guided tours of petroglyphs, native sheep trap and buffalo drive sites, and more.

Wind River in the Summer Near Dubois Wyoming. — Wind River in the summer Near Dubois Wyoming.

Dubois is a favorite spot for anglers, featuring pristine lakes, streams, and rivers teeming with fish like rainbow trout, brook trout, and cutthroat trout. Try casting your line at Torrey Creek. The waters aren’t just for fishing; you can also enjoy kayaking or canoeing, or relax with a float trip guided by Wind River Float Trips.

In winter, the country is even more beautiful, and there are still lots of ways to enjoy it. Go ice-fishing, take a dog-sled ride through the snowy wonderland, or try cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

Downtown Dubois

Exterior of Outlaw Saloon with view of street and mountains in Dubois, Wyoming. — The exterior of Outlaw Saloon in Dubois, Wyoming. Image credit Sandra Foyt via Shutterstock

Many Wild West legends have strolled through Dubois, including the infamous outlaw Butch Cassidy. While things may have changed over time, the town still radiates quirky character and Western charm. After a day outdoors, grab a bite at the Rustic Pine Tavern, open since 1919, or visit the Outlaw Bar and Saloon. Once called the Branding Iron Inn, the Outlaw Bar has remained a beloved Dubois gathering spot for generations.

In the summer months, the town hosts the Dubois Friday Night Rodeo, which runs through June, July, and August. The family-friendly event features Mutton Bustin, Calf Riding, Mini Bull Riding, Pee Wee Barrel Racing, and more.

What Makes Dubois Different

Main street in the western town of Dubois Wyoming. — The main street in the western town of Dubois, Wyoming. Image credit Sandra Foyt via Shutterstock

Dubois remains a timeless town nestled amid Wyoming’s towering mountain ranges. This cowboy haven has preserved its natural beauty and charm for centuries, attracting explorers, pioneers, hunters, and adventurers. Visitors can saddle up at a dude ranch, scale mountain peaks, fish or float on glacial rivers, and unwind at the local rodeo—offering an ideal setting for unforgettable experiences and a break from everyday life.

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Wyoming

Western Wyoming Finishes Second at NJCAA Wrestling Championships – SweetwaterNOW

Published

1 day ago

March 8, 2026

Press Room

Western Wyoming Finishes Second at NJCAA Wrestling Championships – SweetwaterNOW

Zach Marrero. SweetwaterNOW photo by Jayson Klepper

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa — Western Wyoming Community College placed second at the NJCAA Wrestling Championships on Saturday, finishing with 188 team points and producing nine All-Americans, including four national runners-up. Their 188 points are the second-most all-time.

Indian Hills repeated as national champion with 201.5 points, the most points of all time, while Iowa Central finished third with 145.5. Western improved on last year’s third-place finish while sending four wrestlers to the championship round, the most runner-up finishes at the tournament, though the Mustangs were unable to secure an individual national title.

Zach Marrero reached the championship match at 133 pounds after earning a 4-2 decision in the semifinals. In the final, Marrero faced Indian Hills’ Olli Webb. The two were tied 1-1 after three periods before Webb secured a sudden-victory takedown to win 4-1.

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At 165 pounds, Banks Norby advanced to the finals with an 8-7 semifinal decision over Tom Stoll of Northeastern Junior College. Norby then faced Henry Dillingham of Clackamas in the championship match. Dillingham scored seven points in the third period to pull away, and Norby was unable to record a takedown as he finished second.

Banks Love also reached the championship bout at 184 pounds. Love snuck past Asadbek Fayzullaev of Northwest 10-9 in the semifinals. In the final, he fell to Jarrel Miller of Iowa Central 16-9. Love scored seven points in the final period, but Miller also scored nine in the period to secure the win.

At 197 pounds, Trevyn Gates reached the finals after pinning Samuel Montoya of Southeast Nebraska in the semifinals. Gates’ run ended in the championship match when he was pinned in 2:03, giving him a runner-up finish.

Western also had two wrestlers earn third-place finishes.

At 125 pounds, Stockton Allen dropped his semifinal match by technical fall but responded in the consolation bracket. Allen secured third place with a fall in 1:27 over Truth Vesey of Harper.

Green River’s Tommy Dalton also placed third at 149 pounds. Dalton lost in the semifinals by fall in 4:22 but rebounded with a 17-6 major decision to reach the third-place match. He then defeated Ayson Rice of Southeast Nebraska 9-3 to earn the bronze.

Francisco Ayala finished fifth at 174 pounds. After dropping into the consolation bracket, Ayala won two of his three matches to reach the fifth-place bout, where he defeated Iowa Western’s Matteo Nikolov 4-2. Trailing 1-0 entering the final period, Ayala secured a takedown with 12 seconds remaining to claim the win.

Dmitri Alarcon placed sixth at 141 pounds. Alarcon lost in the semifinals by fall before dropping a 20-9 decision in the consolation bracket. In the fifth-place match, he led 5-2 after the opening period but gave up a four-point nearfall in the second and fell 6-5.

At 157 pounds, Hixon Canto finished seventh. After advancing through the consolation bracket Friday, Canto lost a 6-4 decision Saturday before taking seventh place by medical forfeit.

Heavyweight Kort Wilkinson saw his tournament end a day earlier. Wilkinson was one point away from the quarterfinals before falling to Cito Tuttle of Rochester 3-2 in double overtime. He won two matches in the consolation bracket before losing a 5-0 decision to Naasir Edmonds, ending his season on the opening day of the tournament.

Western Wyoming’s second-place finish marks an improvement from its third-place result at the 2025 NJCAA Wrestling Championships and caps a season that also included the program’s ninth straight Region 9/Plains District title.

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