185
FXUS63 KLBF 042313
AFDLBF

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service North Platte NE
513 PM CST Sun Jan 4 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Unseasonably warm and dry conditions persist Monday through
  Wednesday, with some threat for elevated fire concerns
  continuing.

- Cooler temperatures arrive Thursday with a chance for wintry
  precipitation Thursday night into Friday, though chances
  remain low at 20-30 percent.

&&

.SHORT TERM /THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/...
Issued at 128 PM CST Sun Jan 4 2026

An upper ridge axis will reside just east of the area tonight with
an upper trough along the West Coast. A trough of surface low
pressure will extend from eastern Montana south through western
Kansas. Increasing high cloudiness tonight. Lows will be mild for
this time of year in the low 30s with winds light and variable to
light southwest.

Monday, another unseasonably warm day with highs near 30 degrees
above normal. Considerable high cloudiness in the morning with
clearing in the afternoon. Westerly winds in the afternoon 5 to 15
mph with gusts to around 20 mph in the western Sandhills. Again
went with the warmer NBM 50th percentile for highs from 60 to
65 degrees across much of the area. Fire weather concerns will
also persist with elevated fire weather conditions. Westerly
winds will be lighter, with the higher gusts limited to 20 mph
across the western Sandhills.

&&

.LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...
Issued at 128 PM CST Sun Jan 4 2026

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

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 a 20 to 30 percent
chance for mainly light snow Thursday night into Friday. The ECMWF
ensemble members show a higher potential for light snow
accumulations during this timeframe, though the GEFS and CMC do not
currently support this, with the precipitation remaining southeast
of the area. Regardless, trends will need to be monitored closely as
this will be the next shot at accumulating snow for portions of
western and north central Nebraska.

Highs Friday 40 to 45 and upper 30s to mid 40s Saturday, then back
to around 50 next Sunday, which are still 5 to 15 degrees above
normal each day.

&&

.AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z TUESDAY/...
Issued at 512 PM CST Sun Jan 4 2026

Continued dry and VFR conditions are expected through Monday
afternoon. Outside of some high clouds late Monday afternoon, skies
will remain clear to mostly clear with winds under 12 knots.

&&

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

&&

$$

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

NWS LBF Office Area Forecast Discussion