337
FXUS63 KLBF 041157
AFDLBF

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service North Platte NE
557 AM CST Wed Feb 4 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Mild temperatures will continue through the week into the
  weekend

- Thursday will be the warmest day of the week with widespread
  50s and 60s

&&

.SHORT TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...
Issued at 401 AM CST Wed Feb 4 2026

Lingering precipitation will come to an end this morning. The
upper level ridge across the western CONUS will bring
northwesterly downslope flow that will continue to bring warmer
above normal temperatures for today. Did keep temperatures
cooler across the north central Nebraska however, as low clouds
will linger through most of the day and keep temperatures
cooler, highs across north central Nebraska will be in the upper
30s. The rest of western Nebraska into the Sandhills will be in
the 40s to low 50s.

&&

.LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...
Issued at 401 AM CST Wed Feb 4 2026

Ridge continues to build to the west and slowly start to
move eastward through the week into the weekend. Thursday
temperatures continue to trend towards extreme temperatures with
widespread upper 50s to mid 60s expected. There is even the
potential for temperatures to be near records for 3 of the 4 climate
sites. A weak front pushes in Friday, although temperatures will
remain above normal, they will be slightly cooler than Thursday,
with the coolest temperatures across north central Nebraska where
highs will be in the mid 40s.

The ridge will move east towards the central CONUS by the weekend.
EFI and SoT continues to increase the potential for extreme
temperatures to continue to spread eastward through the weekend for
all of western and north central Nebraska with the trend continuing
into early next week. Forecast highs will be in the upper 50s to mid
60s Saturday through Monday, and if current trends continue, could
potentially see even warmer temperatures this weekend.

As for precipitation chances, dry conditions are expected
through the weekend into Monday. There will be elevated fire
weather concerns Thursday and again during the weekend, with the
combination of above normal temperatures, dry conditions and
breezy winds.

&&

.AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z THURSDAY/...
Issued at 551 AM CST Wed Feb 4 2026

Lower cigs will stick around across north central Nebraska
this morning into early afternoon with MVFR conditions. Further
south across the southern Sandhills and western Nebraska lower
lingering cigs should lift by mid morning with VFR conditions.
Winds will be out of the west to northwest today around 10 to 15
kts. LLWS will be possible overnight for both KVTN and KLBF
terminals, with winds off the surface out of the northwest
up to 45 kts.

&&

.CLIMATE...
Issued at 401 AM CST Wed Feb 4 2026

Well above normal temperatures expected for Thursday and will
be nearing record highs on Thursday for North Platte, Broken Bow
and Valentine. The current forecast has high temperatures in
the mid to upper 60s across western and southwest Nebraska and
in the low to mid 60s across the Sandhills. Here are the record
highs for the four climate sites along with the forecast high
temperature for Thursday.

     ...........Forecast High.....Record High................

North Platte....66 degrees...69 degrees(1904)

Broken Bow......65 degrees...66 degrees(2009)

Valentine.......64 degrees...68 degrees(1963)

Imperial........66 degrees...74 degrees(1904)

&&

.LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
None.

&&

$$

SHORT TERM...Gomez
LONG TERM...Gomez
AVIATION...Gomez
CLIMATE...Gomez

NWS LBF Office Area Forecast Discussion