361
FXUS63 KLBF 111119
AFDLBF

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service North Platte NE
519 AM CST Thu Dec 11 2025

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Warm temperatures today in the upper 50s to near 70 will
  combine with gusty winds to create elevated fire weather
  concerns for areas mainly west of Highway 183.

- Much colder Friday and Saturday, especially across northern
  Nebraska. Light snow accumulations are possible across north
  central Nebraska.

- Warm temperatures in the 50s to low 60s return Monday through
  Wednesday of next week.

&&

.SHORT TERM /THROUGH FRIDAY/...
Issued at 246 AM CST Thu Dec 11 2025

Today, much warmer air will reside across the forecast area as
the warm front pushes into eastern Nebraska by early afternoon.
A cold front will drop into north central Nebraska late
afternoon. With H85 temperatures as high as 12C to 14C across
the west and a downsloping west northwesterly wind, and a
partly to mostly sunny sky, the stage is set for highs to reach
65 to 70 degrees from the central Sandhills and southwest. Near
record highs are possible at Imperial, North Platte and Broken
Bow. See the Climate Section below for more details.

Winds of 15 to 30 mph are expected west of a Valentine through
Ogallala line. A few gust to 40 mph are possible. These gusty
winds will combine with highs from the mid 60s to near 70 with
afternoon humidity will fall to 25 to 35 percent, and as low as
20 percent in fire zones 204 and 210. Elevated fire weather
conditions are expected across much of western Nebraska, as far
east of Highway 183.

A cold front moves through tonight as a strong arctic surface
high near 1048mb resided over central Alberta Canada. Just a
slight chance for light rain over the far northwest Sandhills
Thursday evening, transitioning to light snow after midnight
with 40 POPs as colder air moves in.

Colder on Friday as the ridge axis of surface high pressure
extends from southern Saskatchewan Canada into the mid Missouri
Valley. With surface low pressure deepening across southeast
Wyoming into eastern Colorado, surface winds will turn to the
south and southeast in the afternoon across southwestern areas
while light northerly winds continue across north central and
central Nebraska. This will result in a wide range in highs,
from the mid 40s far southwest, mid 30s central areas, to upper
20s far northeast. A chance for light snow across the western
half of north central Nebraska, as a broad area of snow occurs
on the western periphery of the surface high from from central
Montana across western South Dakota.

&&

.LONG TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
Issued at 246 AM CST Thu Dec 11 2025

POPs increase to likely chances for light snow across north
central Nebraska Friday night into Saturday morning. The latest
forecast has increased QPFs and snowfall amounts. At this time,
light snow accumulations of an inch or more are forecast north
of a line from Cody through Bartlett, with 2-3 inches possible
north of Springview through O"Neill. Confidence in the track of
this system is above average, with exact snowfall amounts still
uncertain.

A reinforcing shot of cold air Saturday morning will push south.
Highs have trended colder than the previous forecast with only
10 above far northeast, mid 20s central areas, to near 40 far
southwest. Southwest Nebraska could see falling afternoon
temperatures. With deep surface low pressure across southeast
Wyoming and eastern Colorado, stratus could be in place across
the area, so overcast skies are likely.

Warmer air poised to return Sunday as strong arctic high
pressure moves into the middle Mississippi Valley. Highs should
warm to 50 in the eastern panhandle and far southwest, while
the east is much cooler from the upper 20s to mid 30s.

Much warmer Monday through Wednesday, as an upper ridge over the
Rockies flatten out across the region Tuesday and Wednesday. 50s
return to much of the area Monday, and 50s Tuesday with even
low 60s to mid 60s southwest. And mid 50s to near 60 Wednesday.
Gusty westerly winds Tuesday and Wednesday may bring elevated
fire weather conditions as well.

Mild and dry conditions appear likely beyond day 7, in
agreement with the latest Climate Prediction Center 6 to 10 day
outlook.

&&

.AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z FRIDAY/...
Issued at 519 AM CST Thu Dec 11 2025

For the KLBF and KVTN terminals, skies range from scattered to
broken with ceilings ranging from 20000 to 25000 FT AGL. Broken
ceilings near 6000 FT AGL will lower to MVFR 2500FT AGL by late
evening across north central Nebraska. Winds will be generally
from the west and northwest after 12z on Thursday with wind
gusts up to 25 KTS at the KVTN terminal and to around 20 KTS at
the KLBF terminal this afternoon. MVFR ceilings then lower to
OVC015 by 06Z tonight through the end of the TAF period.

&&

.CLIMATE...
Issued at 246 AM CST Thu Dec 11 2025

Record or near record highs are likely today across southwest
into central Nebraska.

Imperial record high is 69 degrees, Forecast high is 70 degrees
North Platte record high 68 degrees, Forecast high 68 degrees
Broken Bow record high 66 degrees, Forecast high 65 degrees

&&

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

&&

$$

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

NWS LBF Office Area Forecast Discussion