textproduct: Cheyenne

KEY MESSAGES

- Red Flag Warning is in effect until 5 PM MDT for gusty winds, low humidity, and poor overnight recoveries for all of Carbon County.

- Red Flag Warning is in effect from 11 AM to 8 PM MDT Thursday for gusty winds and low humidity for much of southeast Wyoming.

- Hot temperatures return for Thursday through Sunday with slightly cooler temperatures Monday through Wednesday.

SHORT TERM /THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/

Issued at 211 PM MDT Wed Aug 5 2026

Tonight...Another quiescent and nice night for leaving windows open as minimum temperatures dip into the 50s at lower elevations, with 40s for the mountains. Northwest flow aloft prevails with a decent surface trough developing over southeast Wyoming. Looking at the boundary layer winds and 850 mb winds, expect to see a decent low level jet form across the Nebraska Panhandle, with south winds after midnight of 25 to 35 mph gusting to 45 mph at the usual suspects, Chadron and Alliance. The low level jet is likely to subside towards sunrise.

Thursday...The heat returns with a much drier airmass advecting eastward across our counties, and with 700 mb temperatures reaching 14 to 18 Celsius, expect yielded high temperatures to be in the upper 80s to lower 90s west of I-25, with 90s to near 100 degrees east of I-25. Fortunately, relative humidities will be bone dry, making the apparent, or heat index temperatures in the tolerable range.

Main challenge will be fire weather concerns with relative humidites only in the 5 to 15 percent range in the afternoon and early evening, and with projected mid level winds around 700 mb, 10000 feet MSL, expected to mix down to the surface, we have felt it prudent and necessary to issue a Red Flag Warning for much of southeast Wyoming, with the only exceptions being southern Platte, southern Goshen and far eastern Laramie Counties where winds will not be at critical levels. Fortunately, the Nebraska Panhandle winds will remain below critical thresholds. Our Red Flag Warning will extend from 11 AM to 8 PM Thursday.

Thursday night...Quiet and tranquil weather will continue with a weak surface trough or weak cold front backing into our northeast Counties but with no sensible weather anticipated with cold frontal passage, only a switch to north and northeast winds north of a Douglas to Scottsbluff line. The airmass moderates with minimum temperatures in the mid to upper 50s at lower elevations, with 40s for the mountains, still quite pleasant sleeping weather to have windows open and fresh air from outside.

LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/

Issued at 211 PM MDT Wed Aug 5 2026

With this synoptic setup, we will see much of the same weather over the forecast period. Friday starts us off with the ridge over our area. This will bring warm temperatures and dry air to the CWA. The 700mb temperatures are in the mid teens to lower 20C, supporting warm temperatures across the CWA, before temperatures return to the mid teens on Tuesday, cooling the area down some. Fire weather will be a concern through this forecast period with dry air, gusty winds, and little to no chances of precipitation through Monday. Daytime RH values go down to the single digits to teens each day with little overnight recovery. Fire weather has the potential to become critical with any increases in winds. Monday afternoon through Tuesday, a trough starts building over the PNW, potentially drawing in some moisture and giving some relief to fire weather conditions as it nears closer to our area.

AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z THURSDAY/

Issued at 507 PM MDT Wed Aug 5 2026

VFR conditions anticipated across southeast Wyoming for the 00Z TAF period. Gusty conditions will continue for the next 1 to 2 hours before decreasing overnight, with clear skies. For western Nebraska, there is a small chance for low clouds at KBFF, KSNY, and KAIA overnight, but confidence is low at this time. Kept a low SCT deck for the time period of greatest concern. Gusty winds expected all night at KCDR due to a strong, low-level jet. Gusty conditions return everywhere for the late morning and afternoon hours.

CYS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

WY...Air Quality Alert until 11 AM MDT Thursday for WYZ101>119. Red Flag Warning from 11 AM to 8 PM MDT Thursday for WYZ417>420-428>430. Red Flag Warning until 8 PM MDT Thursday for WYZ421>427. NE...None.