169
FXUS63 KLBF 132321
AFDLBF

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service North Platte NE
521 PM CST Sat Dec 13 2025

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Lingering wintry precipitation quickly ends by this evening,
  with dry conditions then persisting through tomorrow and early
  next week.

- Temperatures slowly moderate on Sunday, with a quick return
  of above average temperatures (highs in the 50s to 60s) for
  Monday through Wednesday.

- A quick moving system impacts the area Wednesday into
  Thursday, with light precipitation possible across northern
  Nebraska. This also brings cooler highs Thursday, before mild
  temps quickly return Friday.

&&

.SHORT TERM /THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/...
Issued at 315 PM CST Sat Dec 13 2025

Currently, strong surface high pressure is spilling south through
the Dakotas, leading to slowly clearing skies from north to south
across the area. This high is also bringing drier air southward,
also ending any lingering wintry precipitation with its approach. By
late this afternoon, all precipitation is expected to have ended
across central and southwest Nebraska. Still, very cold temperatures
remain in place and hazardous travel conditions could persist into
tonight.

For tonight, expect skies to continue to clear as aforementioned
strong surface high pressure moves into far eastern Nebraska and
western Iowa. This positions western and north central Nebraska
on the backside of this high, and in an area of returning
southerly flow. The increasing warm advection will keep lows
from bottoming out as low as areas further east, generally in
the single digits to low teens across southwest Nebraska to a
few degrees below zero in north central Nebraska. The
combination of these temperatures and the south breeze will lead
to cold wind chills overnight, falling below zero for all areas
and as low as 10 to 15 below across north central Nebraska.

Increasing moisture advection may lead to increasing stratus and
patchy fog across portions of western Nebraska as well. This remains
low confidence, though could lead to isolated slick spots again
Sunday morning across the western Sandhills and eastern Panhandle.

By tomorrow afternoon, a weak surface low will move east across the
Dakotas, dragging a surface trough into the western Sandhills.
Behind this boundary, returning westerly downslope flow will boost
highs back into the upper 40s to near 50 degrees. Further east, one
more cold day is in store, with highs in the upper 20s to 30s along
and east of HWY 83.

&&

.LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/...
Issued at 315 PM CST Sat Dec 13 2025

Westerly low-level flow establishes across the entirety of western
and north central Nebraska by Monday, bringing a quick return of
mild temperatures to the entire area. Most areas return to the 50s
on Monday, with all areas in the 50s to low 60s on Tuesday and
Wednesday amid the persistent warm advection. This could bring
increasing fire weather concerns, especially both Tuesday and
Wednesday afternoon. The strongest winds are expected Wednesday, as
west wind gusts as high as 35 to 45 miles per hour are possible.
This is in response to rapidly deepening surface low pressure, as a
strong clipper system begin to eject southeast along the
International Border by Thursday morning.

As this strong surface low ejects east, an associated cold front
will move quickly across the area prior to sunrise Thursday. As this
front crosses the area, scattered rain or snow showers are possible
across portions of the Sandhills and northern Nebraska. At this
time, little to no impact is expected from this precipitation, due
to the fast movement and only marginally favorable thermodynamic
profiles for all snow. The passage of this system brings a brief
cooldown into the upper 30s to 40s, before mild temperatures
quickly return yet again for Friday and into next weekend.

&&

.AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z MONDAY/...
Issued at 521 PM CST Sat Dec 13 2025

For the KLBF terminal: Expect some MVFR ceilings around 1500 FT
AGL through 04z this evening. Skies will then scatter out with a
few to scattered high clouds ranging from 15000 to 20000 FT AGL
through Sunday afternoon. For the KVTN terminal: Skies will
continue to clear out tonight with scattered high clouds around
20000 FT AGL expected through Sunday afternoon. For both
terminals: Winds will be varialbe at less then 10 KTS tonight,
shifting to the south and increasing to 15 to 25 KTS Sunday
afternoon.

&&

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

&&

$$

SHORT TERM...Brown
LONG TERM...Brown
AVIATION...Buttler

NWS LBF Office Area Forecast Discussion