203 FXUS65 KCYS 082347 AFDCYSArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Cheyenne WY 545 PM MDT Wed Oct 8 2025
.KEY MESSAGES...
- Elevated fire weather conditions continue through late this afternoon.
- Precipitation chances return for Friday into the weekend.
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.SHORT TERM /THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... Issued at 324 PM MDT Wed Oct 8 2025
Fairly benign conditions this afternoon aside from breezy winds and lowered RH values primarily impacting our western zones. These elevated fire weather concerns should be on the downturn with winds lessening and RH values increasing this evening. This evening and overnight, not expecting much in the way of impactful weather aside from some low cloud cloud development or possible fog once again in the Nebraska Panhandle based on model soundings.
Thursday drier air shifts eastwards of the Laramie Range as southwesterly flow starts to bring in moist monsoonal air. This warm and moist air should start to produce some cloud cover and a very low chance of an evening or nighttime mountain shower, but the bulk of any precipitation activity isn`t expected until the long term. With this comes warmer temperatures as well, producing our expected warmest day of the seven day forecast period including highs in the 70`s to low to mid 80`s.
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.LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... Issued at 324 PM MDT Wed Oct 8 2025
Moving into the long term we should see a more active pattern to end the week and into the weekend as moisture continues to overspread from southwesterly flow under the influence of a ridge before a Pacific trough then briefly changes our flow on Sunday. For Friday and Saturday, widespread cloud cover from the moisture will temper our highs down into the 60`s to 70`s. Meanwhile some showers and a few weak thunderstorms could be possible, but the bulk of this activity should be relegated to the high terrain as we will lack a notable forcing mechanism to produce more widespread precipitation activity. Still, a few showers should make their way off of the high terrain and even as far east as the high plains. And don`t discount this moisture out fully - with PWAT values 200-250% of normal, if we can get any forcing assistance, heavy downpours will be possible. On Sunday a brief lapse in moisture as the trough moves across is expected, but the jet overhead will cause near high wind criteria for the day. At 700 mb, the jet should max at around 50-60 knots for our usual wind prone regions, but most guidance is expecting we`ll stay just outside of high wind criteria (gusts 58+ mph). In house guidance has also declined as of this update, leading to higher confidence that we`ll be close to reaching our first high wind warnings of the season, but not quite yet. But this trough brings colder air, with highs much lower into the 50`s to widespread 60`s and a few low 70`s in the Panhandle possible. Monday and Tuesday we go back under a transient ridge which should return southwesterly flow with areas of showers returning as well under moist flow once again. Temperatures should remain cool and fall-like during this time, once again in the 50`s to 60`s and low 70`s, with significant weather concerns limited. Just beyond the long term, our next deep trough is expected which may bring concerns from Wednesday beyond.
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.AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z FRIDAY/... Issued at 545 PM MDT Wed Oct 8 2025
Relatively quiet weather over the next 24 hours with southwest flow aloft and occasionally gusty south to southwest winds across the region. Some patchy fog possible over portions of the Nebraska Panhandle late tonight.
HAZARDS/WEATHER TRENDS: VFR conditions will prevail at most terminals into Thursday. However, KSNY, KAIA, and possibly KBFF will see fog and LIFR conditions developing after 09z. Confidence is pretty high (above 40% to 60%), so kept fog in the forecast for these terminals. Much lower chance (
NWS CYS Office Area Forecast Discussion