Wyoming has experienced record high temperatures this month – in some cases more than 20 degrees above average. The National Weather Service says that’s because winter storms coming in from the west have been following slightly different tracks than usual.
“The lows that have developed have either gone way to our south or have gone to our north,” said Chuck Baker, a lead forecaster in Riverton.
Baker says the changes could be happening because a La Niña period is coming to an end. La Niña is a phenomenon caused by lower-than-usual surface temperatures on the Pacific Ocean, which can affect weather patterns throughout the world.
Baker says temperatures could drop in the coming weeks but that dry conditions are expected to continue. He says current conditions are ideal for wildfires.