textproduct: Cheyenne

KEY MESSAGES

- Light snow moving into the region currently and expected to be possible through the nighttime hours. 1 to 2 inches is possible for the lower elevations along I-80, with 3 to 5 additional inches possible in the mountains.

- Temperatures also cold Saturday morning alongside breezy winds, but insulating cloud cover may once again prevent cold weather highlights despite breezy conditions.

- Next widespread high wind event expected on Tuesday, continuing through Friday.

SHORT TERM /THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/

Issued at 220 PM MST Fri Feb 20 2026

Beginning to see light snow across the region, mainly in the higher terrain but clouds are at least overspreading east of the Laramie range. Moving into the evening and nighttime hours, high resolution guidance is still expecting similar results to what the forecast has been calling for over the past several days - light snowfall for our southern zones along the I-80 corridor, and generally around 0.5 - 2 inches except the mountains where 3 to 5 inches will be possible. Temperatures also had to be tweaked, with Douglas much colder than expected by model guidance. Overnight that could impact lows dramatically and, combined with winds, will create very cold wind chills that could approach cold weather advisory status. Much like last night, anticipating that a site or two will get this cold across the northern extent of our CWA, but not enough that it would warrant an advisory. Quiet conditions then over the weekend as high pressure ridging begins to take control, as we see temperatures steadily rising. Highs on Saturday around the 30's to 40's, added by clearing skies and sunshine that should be able to assist in melting some of our snowpack. This will be followed by widespread 40's on Sunday with clear skies once again, continuing to remove the snowfall across our area. Otherwise sensible weather concerns will be nil under the benign weather pattern, though some breezy winds are possible on Saturday but nothing compared to what we're used to.

LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/

Issued at 220 PM MST Fri Feb 20 2026

Sticking to the theme of this winter season, the long term period will start out with anomalously warm temperatures, especially in locations east of the Laramie Range with maximum temperatures approaching 60 degrees. In fact, ensemble guidance has our Nebraska counties with high temperatures in the mid-60s. This is all thanks to a longwave ridge over the Mountain West, which will begin to dampen, placing the CWA in a northwesterly flow regime.

The main story into the middle of next week will be the wind. In- house random forest guidance has been consistent with this event, with greater than 60% likelihood of seeing gusts exceeding 60 mph in the high wind hot spots such as Arlington in the vicinity of the Snowy Range. Even Cheyenne and other locations along the I-25 corridor are showing an increasing likelihood of an impactful wind event. This will be dependent on the location of where the mountain wave breaks in the lee of the Laramie Range, and is also seen on the omega fields which are indicating strong subsidence. Wednesday will feature cooler maximum temperatures (though still 5-10 degrees above average), and yet another day of gusty winds. Winds seem to relax slightly on Thursday before ramping back up again on Friday as we remain in a WNW flow regime aligned with a 65-70 knot 700 mb jet. Above-average temperatures will continue into the end of the work week.

As for precipitation, ensemble guidance has backed off on QPF for the the Thursday-Friday period, with the any moisture likely being confined to the mountains. With the latest Drought Monitor classifying much of our CWA as being in either severe or extreme drought, the prospect of meaningful precipitation is minimal throughout the forecast period.

AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z SATURDAY/

Issued at 420 PM MST Fri Feb 20 2026

Latest radar scans show isolated precipitation, starting to fill in ever so slightly of which is currently impacting KLAR and KCYS, and eventually KSNY through 03Z. CIGs and VIS will dip to MVFR, possibly as low as IFR/LIFR, for a short period of time. The remaining sites should remain VFR for the duration of this TAF period. Winds will pose no threat to aviation operations; however, they will begin to ramp up overnight, west to east, and by 18Z Saturday all sites should see gusts 20-30 knots.

CYS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

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