Cheyenne, WY – Millions of residents across portions of Wyoming, Nebraska, South Dakota and Montana are under a Severe Thunderstorm Watch through 8 p.m. MDT Monday as conditions become favorable for strong to severe thunderstorms.
According to the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center, Severe Thunderstorm Watch 376 was issued at 12:35 p.m. MDT and remains in effect until 8 p.m. MDT Monday, June 22.
The watch area includes much of eastern and northeastern Wyoming, including Campbell, Sheridan, Johnson, Converse, Crook, Weston, Laramie, Platte, Goshen and Niobrara counties. In western Nebraska, the watch covers Scotts Bluff, Box Butte, Dawes, Sioux, Kimball, Morrill, Banner and Cheyenne counties.
The alert also extends into western South Dakota, including Pennington, Lawrence, Custer and Fall River counties, as well as southeastern Montana counties including Big Horn, Carter, Custer, Fallon, Powder River and Rosebud.
Severe thunderstorm watches mean conditions are favorable for storms capable of producing damaging wind gusts, large hail, frequent lightning and heavy rainfall. Not every community in the watch area will experience severe weather, but residents should remain alert for rapidly changing conditions throughout the afternoon and evening.
Communities including Rapid City, Gillette, Sheridan, Scottsbluff, Chadron, Spearfish, Deadwood and Miles City are among the larger population centers that could be affected if storms intensify.
Forecasters recommend monitoring local weather updates, reviewing severe weather safety plans and being prepared to move indoors quickly if warnings are issued later today.
Additional watches, warnings or advisories could be issued as thunderstorms develop across the northern and central High Plains this evening.
