SIDNEY - The National Weather Service placed the entire Nebraska Panhandle and southeast Wyoming in a severe thunderstorm watch on Monday afternoon and evening. 

The watch, which includes Cheyenne, Kimball, Banner, Scotts Bluff, Morrill, Garden, Deuel, Laramie and Goshen Counties, is in effect until 8 p.m.

Showers and thunderstorms were expected to develop over the high terrain in Wyoming during the midday Monday and rapidly increase in coverage and intensity as they move to the east across the high plains of southeast Wyoming and the western Nebraska Panhandle, according to the weather service.

The NWS says strong to severe storms are possible. The primary hazards will be strong winds and large hail. An isolated brief tornado can't be ruled out. 

The weather service radar in Cheyenne is down until a necessary part arrives Tuesday morning. Meaning, any radars you use on smart device apps programmed to the NWS radar out of Cheyenne will not work. News Channel Nebraska will provide updates on 98.7 FM, 1340 AM and 95.7 FM. Updates will also air on newschannelnebraska.com, the free NCN app and by telling Alexa to "Play 987 The Big Boy."