FXUS65 KCYS 091837 AFDCYS Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Cheyenne WY 1237 PM MDT Thu Jul 9 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... - Slight Risk of severe thunderstorms this afternoon with heavy rainfall, hail, and strong gusty winds possible. - Strong ridging aloft will produce a dry and hot period for Saturday through Thursday, with the primary challenges being the above normal heat and fire weather conditions. && .SHORT TERM /THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... Issued at 1230 PM MDT Thu Jul 9 2026 Scattered rainfall and some thunderstorms are beginning to form across the region this afternoon. Similar to yesterday, expecting storms to continue forming across the high terrain and move eastwards through the afternoon and early evening into a more favorable environment for stronger activity. Profiles look similar to yesterday as well, with high based storms from inverted V soundings promoting strong winds and accumulating small hail to some smaller severe hail sizes possible. Meanwhile we'll see another risk of flooding today as PWAT values continue to sit in the 0.9-1.25 inch range, generally around 100-130% of average. With storms expected to train across the I-80 corridor, look for the highest risk of flooding from Cheyenne eastwards through Sidney. High resolution guidance consolidates this activity into clustered to linear activity as it moves eastwards into the Nebraska Panhandle, keeping high winds the primary threat into the late afternoon, with storms beginning to exit our portion of Nebraska during the beginning of the evening hours. Our severe threat should then diminish by the time the sun sets, though some lingering showers or storms may be possible through around midnight. Into Friday, our focus begins to shift towards heat as ridging starts building over the region. While the warmth won't begin to scorch us quite yet, high temperatures should rise around 1-5 degrees with highs in the 80's to 90's for the day. Some lingering moisture will keep our PWAT values around normal, and a weak trough and upslope flow may be able to take advantage of what's left of the moisture to produce an isolated shower or storm across the southern Laramie Range and along the border into Colorado, but activity should be weak and sporadic at best. By the evening, anything that is able to form will dissipate, the last grasp of notable moisture potential as heat and fire weather become the focal point into the long term. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... Issued at 1230 PM MDT Thu Jul 9 2026 Saturday through Thursday...Primary challenges will be the heat and fire weather conditions. Ridging aloft dominates our region, with quite dry air at low and mid levels, accompanied by warm 700 mb temperatures, thus chances for late day showers and thunderstorms will be nearly nil and non existent, and dry weather will prevail. The 700 mb temperatures will yield maximum temperatures in the 90 to 105 degree range. A weak perturbation and a slight increase in mid level moisture may spark isolated thunderstorms on Wednesday, and moreso on Thursday, although the ridging aloft will likely keep it dry for the entire period. && .AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z FRIDAY/... Issued at 1118 AM MDT Thu Jul 9 2026 Storm activity will begin increasing across the region over the next couple of hours. Any storms could produce MVFR or worse conditions and gusty, variable winds, all sites except KRWL where only weak activity is expected. Cloud banks this afternoon will generally be around 10K feet at BKN, with lowered CIGs under any storm activity. After storms move out later this evening, expect CIGs to begin lifting and clearing, with clear skies into tomorrow morning. Winds are messy thanks to shifting boundaries across the region and the expected storm activity, but look for prevailing winds to generally be around 10-20 knots, variable across our entire forecast area, becoming light and variable overnight into tomorrow morning as strong pressure gradients exit the region. && .CYS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WY...None. NE...None. && $$ SHORT TERM...CG LONG TERM...RUBIN AVIATION...CG