textproduct: Cheyenne

KEY MESSAGES

- Dry conditions persist through the end of the week, but a weak pressure gradient will promote slightly above normal temperatures with winds generally too weak for critical fire concerns.

- A return to more active weather will occur over the weekend and on Monday as a series of weather disturbances combine with adequate low and mid level moisture to produce scattered to numerous late day showers and thunderstorms.

- Somewhat drier air will move into the forecast area for Tuesday and Wednesday, producing a decrease in areal shower and thunderstorm coverage, along with a warming trend.

SHORT TERM /THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/

Issued at 255 PM MDT Wed Jun 17 2026

While a final critical day for fire weather conditions is ongoing east of the Laramie Range, overall the weather is winding down on this fair June day as winds are beginning to relax while temperatures remain mild to slightly warm. Once Red Flag Warnings are allowed to expire later this evening, sensible weather concerns will become nil thanks to weak ridging beginning to overspread the western US. For temperatures, since this feature will be slow to overspread alongside the cold front we just had push through, overall highs will remain slightly above normal, with temps generally in the 80's for the next two days. For winds, this system will bring a weak pressure gradient that should promote lighter winds overall, with some periods of breeziness in our CWA that isn't unusual for our area. The weather pattern becomes a bit more interesting Friday evening into Saturday morning though as the ridge begins to shift eastwards and we start to see the region begin becoming unstable as we move into the weekend. Some overnight showers or storms may move across the Nebraska Panhandle, a precursor to stronger activity on Saturday, but the overall real concerns begin cropping up in the long term period.

LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/

Issued at 255 PM MDT Wed Jun 17 2026

Saturday...A more active pattern develops, while a shortwave trough aloft passes overhead near peak heating, and an influx of low and mid level moisture along a surface trough axis helps to develop a scattered to numerous coverage, 40 to 70 percent coverage of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening, most numerous east of Interstate 25. Some strong to severe thunderstorms will be possible due to forecast instability and wind shear profiles.

Sunday...While a shortwave trough aloft slides eastward across the Dakotas and Nebraska in the afternoon, its associated cold front will bring some heat relief with 700 mb temperatures near 7C suggesting maximum temperatures in the 70s to lower 80s. Continued adequate low and mid level moisture for scattered late day showers and thunderstorms, closer to the deeper moisture east of Interstate 25.

Monday...Looks like a similar setup compared to Saturday, with a shortwave trough passage in the afternoon, spawning scattered showers and thunderstorms for the afternoon and evening focused along a surface trough axis west of the Wyoming-Nebraska state line. Some strong to severe thunderstorms look likely due to expected instability and wind shear profiles. Upslope flow in the low levels will aid lift.

Tuesday...Drier air infiltrates our forecast area under northwest flow aloft, allowing only isolated to widely scattered afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms, primarily east of I-25. Temperatures slightly warmer than Monday with 700 mb temperatures near 11C.

Wednesday...Ridging aloft moves overhead inducing warmer high temperatures. A surface trough will develop east of I-25, with convergence along the trough aiding in isolated to widely scattered late day showers and thunderstorms east of I-25.

AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z FRIDAY/

Issued at 1037 PM MDT Wed Jun 17 2026

VFR conditions are expected for the TAF period with generally light and variable winds expected for the remainder of the night at most terminals. Scattered rain showers continue in and around the KCDR terminal. These showers could continue through about sunrise Thursday morning. Major impacts are not expected with these showers as current observations do not show much in the way of visibility or CIG drops. Mostly sunny skies are expected during the day Thursday with winds on the lighter side.

CYS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

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