Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Cheyenne, WY

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140 FXUS65 KCYS 242150 AFDCYS Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Cheyenne WY 350 PM MDT Mon Jun 24 2024 .KEY MESSAGES...
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- Moisture will return to the High Plains on Wednesday and Thursday, leading to the potential for some strong thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening.
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&& .SHORT TERM /THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/...
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Issued at 340 PM MDT Mon Jun 24 2024 Gusty showers and thunderstorms continue across the CWA this afternoon. Current radar trends depict widely scattered coverage of these storms, most fairly week and unorganized. Still can`t rule out the threat of severe gust to 60 MPH this afternoon. Earlier, an observation site gusted 50 MPH due to a collapsing storm. Current observations from across the CWA continue to show the very dry low- levels, with most locations under 25 percent relative humidity. This supports the strong wind threat. RAP soundings for this afternoon show strong inverted-V profiles, DCAPE values over 1200 J/kg, and very high based storms. All this to say, that strong winds in storms is the primary concern this afternoon, although, cannot rule out some small hail. Aside from the storms, hot temperatures continue this afternoon, with areas in the Heat Advisory and the panhandle spiking to 100 degrees and warmer this afternoon. Temperatures should slowly be on the decline now with increasing cloud cover from storms. Hi-Res guidance has storms dissipating early this evening. Looking at a quiet day on Tuesday, as the CWA sits under the broad ridge over much of southern CONUS. A weak back door front dropping down from the northeast with bring "cooler" temperatures to parts of the CWA. Biggest cool down will be north of the North Platte River Valley. Temperatures here will be about 10 degrees cooler compared to Monday`s high, leading to highs in the upper 80s. Elsewhere, temperatures will only drop by a few degrees. Should stay dry on Tuesday, however, did add slight chance PoPs to the southern border to account for some light showers that the HRRR is showing. Most other Hi-Res guidance remains dry. Wednesday will be much more active. As the ridge axis slides further east, winds aloft will shift out of the southwest. This southwest flow will allow the CWA to tap into monsoon moisture, increasing mid- level moisture. At the surface, southeast flow will prevail, also increasing moisture. As a result, model soundings and the NAEFS show PWs generally over an inch east of the Laramie Range, which is above the 90th percentile for climatological normal. An embedded shortwave moving through the ridge will likely spark scattered convection during the afternoon. Luckily, cloud layer winds are rather fast, so storms will be quick moving, but dropping torrential rains. This could lead to flash flooding concerns Wednesday afternoon into Wednesday evening. Sufficient effective shear and veering with height will also support the potential for more organized and potentially severe convection.
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&& .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...
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Issued at 345 AM MDT Mon Jun 24 2024 The long term forecast period will start out on an active note with a good chance for showers and thunderstorms on Thursday. By Thursday the broad ridge over the southwestern CONUS will have broken down with as a longer-wave trough moves throughout the central and northern Rockies. This trough will spread faster flow aloft eastward by later in the day. Lingering surface moisture in southeastern Wyoming and western Nebraska will again result in enough instability for showers and thunderstorms, with 500b flow increasing to around 30-40 knots by 0z. However, a primary difference in the Thursday forecast compared to Wednesday looks to be surface and lower-level flow, which seems light and muddled at best lending to straight/shorter hodographs and thus more clustered/outflow dominant showers and storms. Still, will have to watch the Thursday thunderstorm forecast as several ingredients for severe weather remain in the vicinity of the CWA. On Friday, a frontal system will pass through the central High Plains bringing a drier airmass with cooler temperatures for both Friday and Saturday. Only a few isolated orographic showers look possible on Saturday afternoon. By Sunday, expect temperatures to rebound as height rise, however a dry airmass will remain in place with only a few showers in the higher terrain of southeast Wyoming.
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&& .AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z TUESDAY/... Issued at 1136 AM MDT Mon Jun 24 2024 VFR prevails. Scattered to numerous showers & perhaps a few weak high-based thunderstorms will impact a large portion of the area this afternoon and early evening. Gusty and erratic surface wind gusts of 50 to 60 MPH will be the primary hazards. Expect SCT to BKN coverage of mid-level clouds around 10k feet AGL through 02z with clearing skies expected overnight. && .CYS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WY...Heat Advisory until 6 PM MDT this evening for WYZ108. NE...Heat Advisory until 6 PM MDT this evening for NEZ003-019>021- 096. && $$ SHORT TERM...SF LONG TERM...MAC AVIATION...CLH