SIDNEY, Neb. - Unseasonably warm weather continued to shatter long-standing temperature records across western Nebraska and southeast Wyoming on Monday, according to the National Weather Service.

At the Sidney Municipal Airport, temperatures reached 77 degrees, breaking the previous record of 66 degrees set in 2020. Scottsbluff climbed to 71 degrees, surpassing the old record of 70 degrees from 1933, while Alliance also hit 71 degrees, breaking its record of 66 degrees set the same year.

Farther south, Imperial recorded a high temperature of 78 degrees, setting a new daily record and breaking the previous mark of 71 degrees set in 2024, according to the National Weather Service office in North Platte. The high in Imperial was just one degree shy of the town’s all-time December record of 79 degrees, established in 1939.

In southeast Wyoming, Cheyenne reached 65 degrees Monday, eclipsing the former record of 61 degrees set in 1888.

Forecasters said the record warmth is expected to continue through at least Thursday, with highs near 70 degrees possible again Wednesday and on Christmas Day. While temperatures remain well above seasonal averages, officials warned that dry conditions and occasional gusty winds could lead to elevated fire weather concerns, particularly in portions of Wyoming and the Nebraska Panhandle.

The extended forecast shows a gradual cooling trend by the weekend, with highs dropping into the 50s Saturday and 40s by Sunday, closer to typical late-December conditions.

The National Weather Service urged residents to remain cautious with outdoor activities during the unusually warm and dry stretch, especially as fire danger remains elevated in parts of the region.