Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Cheyenne, WY

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079 FXUS65 KCYS 151001 AFDCYS Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Cheyenne WY 401 AM MDT Sat Jun 15 2024 .KEY MESSAGES...
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- Scattered high-based showers and thunderstorms will develop this afternoon. Primary concern with these storms will be wind gusts over 60 MPH and the potential for dry lightning.
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&& .SHORT TERM /THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/...
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Issued at 355 AM MDT Sat Jun 15 2024 Southwesterly flow will dominate this morning as the shortwave responsible for Friday`s storms pushes eastward and a strong upper- level ridge builds over eastern CONUS. This southwesterly flow will advect warm air into the CWA and rapidly warm surface temperatures. 700 mb temperatures will range from +12C to +16C by the afternoon, leading to highs in the upper 80s to mid 90s. Winds will shift more westerly during the afternoon hours as a weak disturbance passes overhead. This will lead to a quick drying out of the low-levels as the dryline is pushed further east into Nebraska. Winds, especially west of the Laramie Range will also ramp up as 700 mb winds increase up to 45 kts. Because of this, cannot rule out elevated wind gusts above 50 MPH for the western zones. This disturbance will also spark scattered convection by mid-afternoon. Thunderstorms will be high- based since the low-levels will be very dry. Model soundings show prominent inverted-V profiles with DCAPE values across the CWA over 1000 J/kg. This will primarily lead to a strong wind threat in and around storms. With the already elevated wind gusts expected out west, winds in these storms could gust over 60 MPH. Because the low-levels will also be so dry, its possible that little to no precipitation will make it to the ground, leading to an elevated risk for dry lightning strikes. Storms will not linger around long, with convection wrapping up by early evening. Looking at quieter weather on Sunday as a trough begins to dig southeastward out of the Pacific Northwest. This will push cooler 700 mb air into the northern portion of the CWA, dropping high temperatures by about 10 degrees for areas north of the North Platte River Valley. Most Hi-Res guidance is in agreement with limited shower and storm activity during the day. But a frontal boundary sagging into the far northern zones Sunday evening will increase moisture and potentially lead to thunderstorms developing.
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&& .LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/...
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Issued at 355 AM MDT Sat Jun 15 2024 Medium to long range models in better agreement as we head into early to mid next week. Deterministic models and ensembles continue to show southwest flow aloft through most of next week with several disturbance bringing a daily round of showers and thunderstorms...mainly to the eastern plains and the mountains. A long wave upper level trough across the eastern Pacific is forecast to remain anchored near the Pac NW through Tuesday, with the primary shortwave trough forecast to push across the northern Front Range Monday night and early Tuesday. At the surface, upslope east to southeast winds will continue nearly every day this week as surface high pressure will fluctuate from southern Canada and the northern plains. Expect a continuation of isolated to widely scattered (10 to 30 percent coverage) thunderstorms in the late afternoon through the late evening hours Monday and Wednesday, with Tuesday appearing the only "dry" day so far behind a surface Pacific cold front. Temperatures should remain near or slightly above average with highs in the 80s for most locations along I-80 and west of I-25. Continued to lower temperatures further north towards Niobrara County and the northern Nebraska Panhandle (Alliance, Chadron) as a backdoor cool front stalls just north of the North Platte River valley on Monday. For Tuesday and Wednesday, Models are in much better agreement with some late-season cooler air moving across the forecast area with low temperatures likely in the upper 30s to mid 40s both Tuesday and Wednesday morning. Hesitated to lower temperatures towards MOS guidance and the 10th to 20th percentile of ensemble spreads due to forecast cloud cover. Will continue to keep an eye on this as some guidance suggests a near freeze for the colder high valleys. Newest 00z model runs are now showing 700mb temperatures lowering to -2c across central and eastern Wyoming, which is a little colder compared to yesterday. Kept high temperatures in the mid 60s to mid 70s on Tuesday and Wednesday although some guidance remains about 5 to 10 degrees cooler due to cloudy skies and upslope winds. Probability for strong to severe thunderstorms is very low both of these days due to cooler air near the surface but relatively warmer air aloft...resulting in stable thermodynamic profiles. For later in the week, models indicate a general warming trend as we head into Thursday and Friday with a more favorable environment for afternoon and evening thunderstorms due to Pacific shortwave energy and a more active subtropical jet stream.
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&& .AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z SUNDAY/... Issued at 1040 PM MDT Fri Jun 14 2024 Concerns with the 06Z TAFs will be fog/stratus in the Panhandle overnight. Some areas received significant rainfall this afternoon and evening...especially across northern Cheyenne County into southern Morrill County. Lots of low level moisture tonight that could aid in low cloud/fog development. Primary airports of concerns will be KBFF and KAIA where the latest HRRR guidance shows widespread IFR/LIFR conditions. Followed its guidance on timing. As for KSNY...need to keep an eye on observations overnight as they got over a half inch of rain as well. Improving conditions after sunrise Saturday with VFR conditions returning to all airports. && .CYS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WY...None. NE...None. && $$ SHORT TERM...SF LONG TERM...TJT AVIATION...GCC