235
FXUS63 KLBF 031850
AFDLBF
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service North Platte NE
150 PM CDT Thu Sep 3 2026
.KEY MESSAGES...
- Red Flag Warning remains in effect across portions of the
western Sandhills until 8 PM MDT this evening.
- Elevated fire weather concerns Friday afternoon across the
western Sandhills.
- Temperatures in the 90s continue through the weekend and into
early next week.
- A more active weather pattern returns late this weekend
through mid week. This will bring a return of precipitation
chances, as well as slightly above seasonal temperatures.
&&
.SHORT TERM /THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/...
Issued at 150 PM CDT Thu Sep 3 2026
Tonight and Friday...the upper level ridge builds into the region
slightly. Lows tonight in the low to mid 60s with a mostly clear
sky. On Friday, surface low pressure will deepen across WY and CO
with south to southeast winds increasing to 15 to 20 mph with
gusts to 30 mph. Highs will reach into the mid 90s, with some
upper 90s southwest. Across the western Sandhills, afternoon
humidity will fall to as low as 25 percent, and with gusty south
winds, elevated fire conditions will exist. Have introduced
slight chance pops for thunderstorms for far southeastern zones.
MUCAPEs will reach 1000- 2000 J/kg in this area with deep layer
shear only 20-25kts.
Friday night...slight chance to low chance POPs during the evening
in southwest and central NE. Shear will remain weak with modest
instability. Any thunderstorms should remain weak, although
storm motion fairly slow at 10 to 15 mph. A slight chance
remains across southeastern areas overnight. Lows mild in the
mid 60s to low 70s.
Saturday and Saturday night...the upper ridge will build north
across the Central and Northern Plains. A fairly deep upper trough
will persist across the Western U.S., bringing an increase in
PWATS on the western periphery of the upper ridge into western
Nebraska. A series of weak disturbance will lift into the region
from CO bringing low chances for showers and storms during the
day to most of the forecast area. Precipitation chances increase
Saturday night as a low level jet increases. NBM 24 hours
probability of exceeding 0.25 inch ending 12Z Sunday, ranges
from 20 to 40 percent across southwest NE into the central
Sandhills.
&&
.LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
Issued at 150 PM CDT Thu Sep 3 2026
Upper level ridging across the region Sunday will begin to break
down across the Northern Plans by Monday (Labor Day) as the upper
trough moves in. High temperatures each day will continue to remain
well above normal (10 to 15 degrees above), from 90 to near 95.
PWATs will increase some during this time with chance POPs Sunday
afternoon and Sunday night and again Monday afternoon and Monday
night. NBM 24 hours probability of exceeding 0.25 inch ending 12Z
Monday increases to 40 to 50 percent across the Sandhills into North
central NE, and 12Z Tuesday, from 35 to 45 percent across southwest
Ne into the eastern half of north central NE. Given the potential
for slow moving thunderstorms, some localized heavy rainfall is
possible.
The upper trough is forecast to flatten out by next Tuesday and
Wednesday as an upper trough moves into the Great Lakes. This may
bring some relief from the heat with highs from 85 to around 90.
Chances for precipitation look low as surface high pressure settles
into the region. By next Thursday, upper ridging is favored to build
back in.
&&
.AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z FRIDAY/...
Issued at 1220 PM CDT Thu Sep 3 2026
VFR conditions will persist the next 24 hours across western and
north central Nebraska. Winds will remain light and variable at
the KLBF and KVTN terminal through tonight. By late morning
Friday, southerly winds will increase with gusts to 15KT after
16Z.
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...
Issued at 150 PM CDT Thu Sep 3 2026
Afternoon humidity as low as 14 percent will combine with
southwest winds 10 to 20 mph with gusts to 35 mph to create
Critical fire weather conditions this afternoon into this
evening across Zone 204. A Red Flag Warning remains in effect
until 8 PM MDT.
Elevated concerns are possible on Friday, when minimum humidity
values drop between 25 to 30 percent across the western
Sandhills, with southeasterly wind gusts up to 30 mph.
Late this weekend, an upper level trough approaches from the west,
which will bring a more active weather pattern Sunday through mid
week. This pattern shift is expected to bring near daily
precipitation chances, with some increasing potential for wetting
rainfall. Conditions may become gusty, especially Sunday and
Monday, as ridge breakdown begins, but this may also be
accompanied by wetting rainfall potential.
&&
.LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Red Flag Warning until 8 PM MDT this evening for NEZ204.
&&
$$
SHORT TERM...Roberg
LONG TERM...Roberg
AVIATION...Roberg
FIRE WEATHER...Roberg
NWS LBF Office Area Forecast Discussion