textproduct: Cheyenne

KEY MESSAGES

- Dry conditions will 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.

- Drier air will make a return into the forecast area for Tuesday and Wednesday of next week, producing a decrease in areal shower and thunderstorm coverage, along with a warming trend.

SHORT TERM /THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/

Issued at 202 AM MDT Thu Jun 18 2026

A benign weather pattern will settle in nicely for a majority of the short term period as weak ridging noses in from the southwest. This will give us a nice reprieve from high winds and any fire weather concerns that have been plaguing most of the CWA over the last several days. This pattern won't give us much in the way of a high wind threat with lighter winds taking over. However, we can't rule out a few periods of breeziness, especially in our wind prones across southeast Wyoming. What will the temperatures be doing over the next few days? Well, we are not anticipating anything drastic, no huge temperature swings, as 700MB temps each day will climb into the 6C to 12C range, which translates to highs in the low to mid 80s while lows will dip into the mid 40s to mid 50s at night. As mentioned previously, most of the short term will be benign. Now, lets take a look at the very latter part of the this forecast period, Friday evening into the overnight hours. Weak ridging will shift off to the east which will allow portions of the CWA to become unstable. Moisture begins to advect into the region with dewpoints increasing as well, mainly across far eastern Wyoming and the Nebraska Panhandle. So, overnight showers and/or storms may move into this portion of the CWA. All this will be the precursor of what may follow over the weekend, especially on Saturday, stay tuned...

LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/

Issued at 252 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 1040 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.