086
FXUS63 KLBF 032312
AFDLBF

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service North Platte NE
512 PM CST Sat Jan 3 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Mild and dry conditions persist across western and north
  central Nebraska Sunday through Wednesday.

- Record high temperatures are forecast on Sunday. Dry
  conditions, and gusty west winds will lead to fire weather
  concerns across western Nebraska on Sunday afternoon.

- A cooling trend Thursday through Saturday, with low chances
  for mainly snow (20-30 percent) Thursday night through Friday
  night.

&&

.SHORT TERM /THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/...
Issued at 215 PM CST Sat Jan 3 2026

An upper ridge axis will reside over the region tonight with an
upper trough along the West Coast. A trough of surface low
pressure will extend from eastern Montana through eastern
Colorado. A stationary front across the central Sandhills will
lift northeast later tonight. Ahead of the warm front, fog
development is expected for areas east of Valentine through
Burwell, with patchy to areas of fog. This is in agreement with
the latest HRRR and RAP13 visibilities as well as the 15Z SREF.
Timing for development is mid evening until daybreak. Increasing
high cloudiness tonight, in addition to stratus in the east
where fog is expected. Lows upper 20s to low 30s.

On Sunday, high cloudiness quickly departs eastward in the
morning with a sunny afternoon. With H85 temperatures as warm as
11C to 14C, unseasonably warm and record breaking highs are
likely. Used the NBM 50th percentile with highs from 60 to 70
across the area. Record highs from 64 to 69 degrees are forecast
at all climate sites. See the Climate Section for more details.


The warm afternoon temperatures will combine with afternoon
humidity as low as 25 to 30 percent and westerly winds gusting
to 20 to locally 35 mph across the western Sandhills. This will
result in near-critical fire weather conditions for areas mainly
west of Highway 83.

Another mild night Sunday night with lows in the lower 30s with
a light west to southwest wind and some increase in high
cloudiness overnight.

&&

.LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/...
Issued at 215 PM CST Sat Jan 3 2026

Very mild and dry conditions persist Monday through Wednesday,
with quasi-zonal flow aloft. This will bring persistent
westerly downslope winds across the area, and keep highs much
above average. Highs in the low 60s Monday forecast to still
reach the mid to upper 50s Tuesday and Wednesday. The mild
temperatures and gusty westerly winds across the west will
continue to bring elevated fire weather concerns Monday through
Wednesday.

The GFS and ECMWF deterministic bring a cold front through
Wednesday night, with cooler highs in the mid to upper 40s
Thursday. An upper trough moving across Thursday into Friday
bring at least a slight chance for mainly snow showers Thursday
night through Friday night. The ECMWF ensemble members show a
higher potential for light snow accumulations Thursday night
into Friday, though the GEFS and CMC do not currently support
this very much.

Highs by Friday and Saturday in the mid to upper 30s, which are
close to normal.

&&

.AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z MONDAY/...
Issued at 512 PM CST Sat Jan 3 2026

Continued dry and mild conditions are expected through Sunday
afternoon. Some patchy to areas of fog will develop ahead of a
frontal boundary this evening, but is expected to remain
concentrated across far north central Nebraska (east of both
terminals). Westerly winds are expected to increase by late Sunday
morning as a warm front pushes through. Gusts up to 30 knots are
possible, especially across northern Nebraska and the Panhandle.
Winds remain strong through the afternoon before diminishing after
sunset.

&&

.CLIMATE...
Issued at 215 PM CST Sat Jan 3 2026

Record highs are forecast for Sunday at all climate sites.

At North Platte: forecast high 69, record high 65 set in 1989
At Valentine:    forecast high 64, record high 64 set in 1935
At Broken Bow:   forecast high 65, record high 60 set in 2003
At Imperial:     forecast high 69, record high 68 set in 1956

&&

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

&&

$$

SHORT TERM...Roberg
LONG TERM...Roberg
AVIATION...Kulik
CLIMATE...Roberg

NWS LBF Office Area Forecast Discussion