If you’ve ever spent a week in the Big Horn Basin, you know that the weather forecast Worland WY provides is less of a rigid schedule and more of a polite suggestion. It's a place where you can wake up to a crisp 30 degrees, eat lunch in a short-sleeved shirt under a 55-degree sun, and find yourself scraping frost off the windshield by dinner.
Worland is basically sitting in a giant bowl.
That "bowl" is the Big Horn Basin, and it’s surrounded by the Big Horn Mountains to the east, the Absarokas to the west, and the Owl Creeks to the south. This geography creates a unique microclimate that makes the local weather a bit of an outlier compared to the rest of Wyoming.
The Current 10-Day Outlook: January 2026
Right now, we are deep into the mid-winter stretch. Honestly, it’s been a bit of a rollercoaster lately. According to the latest data from the National Weather Service in Riverton, the next few days in Worland are looking surprisingly mild for January, but there’s a cold front lurking on the horizon.
- Tuesday, Jan 13: High of 53°F. It’s cloudy and feels like a reprieve, but don't get too comfortable.
- Wednesday, Jan 14: Plenty of sun with another high of 53°F. This is about 20 degrees above the historical average of 33°F for this time of year.
- Thursday, Jan 15: The wind starts to kick up. We're looking at northwest gusts around 18 mph and temperatures dropping toward 48°F.
- Friday, Jan 16: The reality check. Highs struggle to hit 32°F with a slight chance of light snow showers.
By the weekend, the overnight lows will dip back into the teens. It’s that classic Wyoming "fool’s spring" that happens for forty-eight hours before the wind reminds you exactly what month it is. If you're planning on traveling through the Wind River Canyon or heading toward Cody, keep an eye on those Thursday night wind speeds. High-profile vehicles are going to feel it.
Why Worland is the "High Desert" of the North
People usually think of Wyoming as a place buried in ten feet of snow. While that’s true for the Snowy Range or the Tetons, Worland is different. It is actually the driest part of the state.
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Basically, the mountains suck all the moisture out of the air before it ever hits the basin floor. Meteorologists call this the "rain shadow effect." By the time Pacific storms climb over the Absarokas, they’ve dumped their snow. The air sinks into the basin, warms up, and dries out.
Worland only sees about 7 to 8 inches of total precipitation a year. To put that in perspective, parts of the Florida coast get that much in a single afternoon during a bad tropical storm.
The Heat is Real
Because of the lower elevation (around 4,061 feet—low for Wyoming, anyway), Worland gets hot. July is often a gauntlet. It's not uncommon to see a string of days hitting 95°F or even 100°F.
In fact, the Big Horn Basin holds some of the highest temperature records in the state. While the mountains are a cool 70 degrees, Worland is baking. If you're gardening here, you’ve basically got a "Zone 4" or "Zone 5" climate depending on how much you can irrigate. Without the Big Horn River, this place would be a complete moonscape.
Temperature Inversions: The Winter "Trap"
One thing the weather forecast Worland WY often mentions in the winter is an "inversion." This is when cold air gets trapped on the basin floor while the mountain peaks stay warm.
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You might look at the forecast and see 10°F in town, but if you drive up into the Big Horns toward Ten Sleep, it might actually be 35°F and sunny. The cold air is denser, so it settles into the bottom of the bowl like water. It stays there until a strong enough wind or a new weather system comes along to "scour" it out.
These inversions can lead to some pretty gnarly fog and poor air quality because all the woodsmoke and exhaust just sits there. If you see a "Stagnant Air Advisory," that’s what’s happening.
Surprising Facts About Worland's Weather
- The Record Low: While January averages a high of 33°F, it has a mean minimum of about 4°F. But back in the day, the basin has seen temps plunge below -40°F.
- Spring is the Wettest: If you want rain, wait until May. It’s the only month that consistently sees over an inch and a half of moisture.
- Wind Shield: Compared to the "wind tunnels" of Casper or Rawlins, Worland is actually relatively sheltered. We still get gusts, but it's nothing like the 60 mph sustained winds that flip semis on I-80.
How to Prepare for the Big Horn Basin Climate
If you're moving here or just visiting, you need a strategy. You can't just look at the high temp for the day and call it good.
Layers are non-negotiable. I’m talking a base layer, a fleece, and a windbreaker. You’ll likely wear all three before 9:00 AM and be down to a t-shirt by 2:00 PM.
Hydrate like it’s your job. The air here is incredibly dry. You won't even realize you're sweating in the summer because the moisture evaporates instantly.
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Check the road reports. The weather in Worland might be fine, but the mountain passes surrounding the basin (like Powder River Pass or Sylvan Pass) are entirely different animals. Use the WYDOT 511 map religiously.
Actionable Next Steps
Instead of just checking a generic app, use the National Weather Service (Riverton) office site. They have the most localized data for the basin.
If you're a local, January is the time to check your "winter kit" in the car. Make sure you have a real shovel—not a plastic toy—and a heavy wool blanket. Even with a mild forecast, a sudden shift in the jet stream can drop temps 40 degrees in three hours.
Check your tire pressure tonight. These 50-degree days followed by 20-degree nights will make your "low pressure" light go crazy. Keep it topped off to maintain traction for when that Friday snow actually hits.