textproduct: Cheyenne

KEY MESSAGES

- A break from the record warmth is expected today and Friday as a cold front pushes in from the northeast. A few rain and snow showers will be possible through Friday morning.

- Another round of near record warmth and critical fire weather conditions is expected Saturday through Monday.

- Increasing chances for showers will occur for Monday through Thursday as several weather disturbances and associated cold fronts move across the forecast area.

SHORT TERM /THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/

Issued at 110 PM MDT Thu Mar 26 2026

A cold front has passed through the high plains of Wyoming and the Nebraska Panhandle, ushering in a cooler airmass with higher humidity and lighter winds this afternoon. Low clouds and stratus has been reinforced in east central Wyoming along the slopes of the northern Laramie range as a second wave of cold frontal air moves southward. Low stratus has generally scattered this afternoon over the NE panhandle, but expect the reinforcing cold front to bring a return to low clouds over most of the high plains near and after sunset tonight. Forecast soundings show a potent inversion and saturated layer in the lowest few thousand feet. However, at the surface, higher T/Td spreads will limit the fog potential to everywhere except in the higher terrain of the Laramie Range and perhaps the crest of the Pine Ridge. Adjustments were made to both PoP and QPF grids this afternoon, trending both elements downward from forecast blends. This was supported by much lower HREF PoPs and almost negligible QPF in model mean forecasts through the overnight into tomorrow morning. Still, there is a chance for a few isolated sprinkles transitioning to a rain/snow mix/all light snow overnight through around 15z Friday morning, mainly for western Laramie County and the eastern slopes of the Laramie Range. Given the extremely warm temperatures recently, any snowfall will melt on contact with road surfaces.

The other major story in the short-term is the cooler temperatures this evening, overnight, and through the day on Friday. Abundant cloud cover will limit solar heating, with a deep inverted cold airmass at the surface along and east through the high plains. While heights are expected to rise by the later afternoon hours, the inversion will be hard to break and temperatures will end up around or even a few degrees below average for Cheyenne, Scottsbluff, and Sidney. Skies may begin to clear somewhat by Friday evening, however surface temperatures will remain chilly overnight into Saturday morning.

A rapid rebound in temperatures is on the way for Saturday as ridging develops over the western CONUS once again. Westerly flow and warming mid-level temperatures will result in highs almost 20 degrees warmer on Saturday than on Friday. Expect a few afternoon clouds to drift in from the west as a bit of mid- level moisture moves in over top of the ridge. A few isolated, very high-based showers will be possible on Saturday evening given highs reaching convective temps and the slight increase in moisture in the 700-300mb layer.

LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/

Issued at 110 PM MDT Thu Mar 26 2026

Sunday-Monday...Continued mild as the flow aloft remains from the west. With some low and mid level moisture, we may see isolated to widely scattered late day showers on Monday.

Tuesday...As a shortwave trough aloft and its associated cold front pass by the forecast area, high temperatures will decrease into the 60s. Looks like enough low and mid level moisture to produce scattered showers, most numerous near the Colorado state line.

Wednesday...Even cooler in the wake of the Canadian origin cold front. 700 mb temperatures near 1 Celsius will yield maximum temperatures in the 50s. With broad troughiness across the forecast area and increasing low and mid level moisture, we will see scattered to numerous showers develop.

Thursday...In this progressive pattern, another shortwave trough aloft will move overhead and will combine with adequate low and mid level moisture to produce scattered to numerous showers.

AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z FRIDAY/

Issued at 1125 AM MDT Thu Mar 26 2026

Another surge of cool air will slide southward in the wake of a cold front under west northwest flow aloft.

Wyoming TAFS...At Rawlins, expect scattered to broken clouds near 12000 feet until 15Z Friday, then skies will become clear. Winds will gust to 35 knots until 01Z, then to 25 knots until 04Z.

For Laramie, scattered to broken clouds from 5000 to 10000 feet will occur until 08Z, then ceilings will be near 2500 feet until 15Z, with scattered clouds around 5000 feet thereafter. Winds will gust to 35 knots until 01Z, and to 25 knots from 01Z to 04Z, and after 15Z Friday.

For Cheyenne, scattered clouds near 10000 feet will occur until 01Z, then ceilings will be near 2500 feet until 06Z, then lower to 800 feet with light rain, snow and fog reducing visibilities to 6 miles from 06Z to 15Z, then skies will be clear. Winds will gust to 30 knots until 01Z, and to 21 knots from 01Z to 06Z.

Nebraska TAFS...For Chadron and ALliance, expect ceilings from 1800 to 4000 feet until 01Z, and ceilings near 2500 feet until 04Z, and rising to near 5000 feet until 15Z, then clear skies thereafter. Winds will gust to 35 knots until 01Z.

For Scottsbluff and Sidney, expect ceilings from 2500 to 5000 feet until 15Z, then skies will be clear. Winds will gust to 35 knots at Scottsbluff until 01Z, and to 35 knots at Sidney until 06Z.

CYS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

WY...None. NE...None.