textproduct: Hastings

KEY MESSAGES

- Highs in the 50s today with mostly dry weather during the daytime hours (15-25% PoPs south of Hwy 6).

- More widespread precipitation chances late this evening- overnight. A few of these storms could produce small hail.

- Above normal temperatures return Saturday onwards behind a warm front with highs in the 70s and 80s.

- Multiple rounds of showers/storms continue Saturday into early next week, most likely across eastern portions of the area. Some of these storms could be strong-severe.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 220 PM CDT Thu Apr 9 2026

Today/Tonight...

The cold front, which passed through the area last night, has since stalled into a stationary boundary near the NE/KS state border this afternoon. As a result, a few isolated non-severe thunderstorms have managed to pop up across a select portion of the area. The coverage of thunderstorms is expected to remain fairly minor (less than 25% of the area) with concentrations mainly east of HWY-281 through the rest of the afternoon/night.

A few of the scattered storms later this evening may become strong to severe (mainly between the 5-11PM timeframe). The best potential for storms to become severe will be for ones that develop south of I- 80 (areas closer to and south of the stationary boundary) where the better moisture and instability will lie (upper 40s to mid 50s dewpoints with 1,000-2,000J of MUCAPE). A Slight risk (level 2 of 5) for severe weather encompasses portions of Webster, Nuckolls and Thayer counties in Nebraska as well as Smith, Jewell, Rooks, Osborne and Mitchell counties in Kansas with a Marginal risk (level 1 of 5) covering a good portion of locations south of the interstate. Hail up to the size of half dollars with thunderstorm wind gusts near 60MPH will be possible within the strongest storms.

Overall, the coverage of any severe activity should remain somewhat limited in coverage across only a few southeastern portions of the area. Through decent 30-40kts of bulk shear will be in place with some modest low-level helicity south of the boundary, the low dewpoints no greater than the mid 50s with high LCLs (>1,500m) should limit the tornadic potential this evening (to mainly a hail and wind threat). Flooding is also not expected to be a concern as storm motions should keep most of the convection rolling on through (around 25-40MPH), limiting residence times of any heavy downpours.

Beyond the storm potential today/tonight, winds starting out of an easterly direction north of the stationary front and southerly direction south of the front, will become east to northeasterly overnight across the area. Lows tonight will also likely fall to their coldest point until Tuesday night as lows reach down to the 30s to mid 40s.

Friday & Saturday...

Temperatures for Friday will generally remain on the cooler side (mid 50s to low 60s) as excessive cloud coverage looms overhead with steady northeast cold air advection to start the day. The 10-15MPH steady northeast winds gusting as high as 20-25MPH will gradually turn east to southeasterly through the day. Though an isolated and non-severe thunderstorm can't be ruled out Friday afternoon to evening, the slightly better potential will not occur until the overnight hours when the low-level jet kicks in. Even then, the latest CAM's have significantly decreased the coverage of storms across the overnight period, likely as result from weak synoptic support underneath a zonal to weak ridging pattern in the upper- levels. Precipitation chances look more to be a hit or miss with likely only a few areas that may catch meaningful precipitation amounts greater than 0.2".

Slightly stronger southerly winds for Saturday may blow between 20 to 25 MPH with gusts as high as 30-35MPH possible. The stronger winds will come as a surface low ejecting out of the Northern Rockies quickly races towards the Northern Plains. This wind will help bring in warmer air with highs raising around 15-20 degrees into the 70s compared to Friday. A similar story precipitation-wise may play out Saturday as any storms that do form throughout the day will be expected to be highly scattered in coverage. A marginal risk (level 1 of 5) covers the central and southeastern 2/3rd of the area. The strongest storms could produce quarter sized hail with wind gusts near 60MPH.

Sunday and Beyond...

The continuation of southerly to southwesterly winds through Monday will help highs maintain in the upper 70s to mid 80s range for both Sunday and Monday. The next major pattern change up will come Tuesday as an upper-level trough approaches the Central U.S. A surface cyclone is favored to form across the Central Plains, potentially bringing another round of severe weather to at least a portion of the area. The southeast corner of the area is clipped by the Storm Prediction Center's extended Day 6 (Tuesday) 15% Severe Weather Outlook. Otherwise, temperatures are expected to wobble between the 70s and low 80s through next Thursday.

AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z SATURDAY/

Issued at 1218 AM CDT Fri Apr 10 2026

For KGRI/KEAR Airports:

VFR conditions favored through the afternoon hours on Friday. MVFR conditions possible Friday night. Scattered showers/storms are expected to remain south of the Terminals overnight. Mid- level clouds build over the area Friday morning, with BKN-OVC ceilings throughout the morning-afternoon hours. Late Friday evening-night MVFR stratus is expected to move into KGRI/KEAR from the south. IFR ceilings are possible just past the TAF period, along with scattered showers and thunderstorms. Have kept tafs MVFR or greater, but a PROB30 group could be needed prior to 06z. Northeast winds sustained 10-15kts continue through the overnight hours. Winds shift to the southeast during the daytime hours on Friday, with sustained winds remaining at 10-15kts.

GID WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

NE...None. KS...None.