726
FXUS63 KLBF 200000
AFDLBF

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service North Platte NE
600 PM CST Mon Jan 19 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Dry and windy conditions will lead to elevated to near
  critical fire weather concerns Tuesday afternoon across the
  southeast panhandle into southwest Nebraska.

- Colder temperatures arrive Thursday, with highs Friday only in
  the single digits to teens. This will also bring a chance for
  light snow Friday into Saturday.

- Wind chills values are forecast to fall to around 20 below
  zero Friday and Saturday morning, mainly across north central
  Nebraska.

- Warmer temperatures next Sunday, returning to the upper 30s to
  upper 40s by next Monday.

&&

.SHORT TERM /THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/...
Issued at 240 PM CST Mon Jan 19 2026

A cold front will drop from the Northern Plains into northern
Nebraska by late Tuesday afternoon. This will bring a warmup to
the area, with lower 50s across southwest Nebraska to the upper
30s to lower 40s north central. Gusty west to northwest winds
ahead of the front, mainly near and west of Highway 61 will
bring elevated to near critical fire weather conditions. Gusts
to 30-35 mph are expected across Garden and Deuel County.

There will also be a slight chance for light snow behind the
cold front late Tuesday afternoon across far northern Nebraska,
possibly lasting into early Tuesday evening. No accumulation
expected however.

&&

.LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...
Issued at 240 PM CST Mon Jan 19 2026

Another cold front moves through on Wednesday. This will be the
windiest day of the week, with northwest winds increasing to 20
to 30 mph with gusts up to 40 mph in the afternoon. While highs
should reach the upper 30s north central to upper 40s
southwest, falling afternoon temperatures are expected across
the north. This will also bring elevated fire weather concerns
Wednesday afternoon, mainly south of Highway 2.

A stronger cold front arrives Thursday, with highs only in the
mid to upper 20s north central. Much colder temperatures settle
in Thursday night through Friday night. Lows Thursday night from
5 to 10 below zero north central may bring wind chills values to
around 20 below into Friday morning. Highs Friday have trended
colder, to only 5 to 10 above much of north central Nebraska,
to mid to upper teens southwest. Lows Friday night from zero to
10 below, may bring wind chill values as low as 10 below to 20
below across the area Friday night into Saturday morning.
Chances for light snow Friday into Saturday. The GFS and ECMWF
ensembles show up to a 30 percent probability of at least an
inch of snowfall, across the central Sandhills and southwest.
So, while no significant accumulations are expected, a dusting
up to an inch appears increasingly possible.

A slight warmup Saturday to the mid teens to lows 20s east and
mid 20s to low 30s west as surface high pressure moves east of
the area. Upper ridging broadens and flattens out across the
region Sunday into Monday, with highs by Monday forecast to warm
back into the upper 30s to upper 40s.

&&

.AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z WEDNESDAY/...
Issued at 558 PM CST Mon Jan 19 2026

VFR conditions are expected through the forecast period. Skies
should remain partly to mostly cloudy as a steady stream of high
level clouds persists. Winds will be light and variable early,
before becoming more southwest to westerly for the daytime
Tuesday.

&&

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

&&

$$

SHORT TERM...Roberg
LONG TERM...Roberg
AVIATION...NMJ

NWS LBF Office Area Forecast Discussion