textproduct: Hastings

KEY MESSAGES

- Mild temperatures (50s/60s) will continue across the local area for at least the next 7 days with highs potentially reaching 70 again early next week. To put this in perspective, normal high temperatures are in the upper 30s to lower 40s across the local area during mid-February.

- For at least the next 24-48 hours, the anticipated warmth will contribute to a continued risk for localized ice jam flooding along those portions of the Platte and Loup River systems where ice still exists.

- The combination of breezy south winds and low RH values will result in a few hours of elevated to near critical fire weather conditions across our far western areas Wednesday afternoon.

- The anticipated low pressure system for the Friday Night/Saturday time frame continues to trend south. Despite modest POPs (15-40%, highest Kansas), unless something drastically changes, much of the local area may receive no precipitation over this period at all.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 225 PM CST Tue Feb 10 2026

A cold front crossed the local area early this morning bringing modestly cooler temperatures, breezy north winds, and variable cloud cover today. Despite high temperatures topping out "only" around 50, temperatures remain well above seasonal norms for this time of year.

With an area of surface high pressure sliding south across the area tonight, expect temperatures to plummet as winds diminish, but for a mix of mid/high level cloud cover to help mitigate their potential drop. Even so, this will likely be the coolest night of the period with most locations bottoming out in the lower to mid 20s.

As high pressure aloft then begins to amplify across the plains in response to a west coast low tomorrow, expect temperatures to climb further (by 2-5 degrees) across the local area, with variable cloud cover potentially holding down afternoon temps a bit from their potential. That said, as temperatures climb and southerly winds increase in return flow around the surface high tomorrow afternoon, could see a few hours of elevated to near critical fire weather concerns across our extreme west (mainly west of HWY 183) during the afternoon hours, so opted to introduce this potential into the HWO.

Thereafter...the west coast low is expected to move onshore across southern California/Baja later this week, eventually sliding south of the local area over the weekend. Originally this system was expected to track further north, spreading some precip across the central Plains, but trends have kept this system south, and am not overly optimistic that much precipitation, if any, locally, will be realized. Will continue to monitor in case the system tries to shift north, but based on the last couple of days, the blended pops of 15-40% across our area Friday afternoon into Saturday look plenty generous.

Of notable difference from the forecast a few days ago, temperatures continue to trend upward toward early next week as another ridge of high pressure builds across the plains. This could eventually lead to temperatures returning to the 70s early next week before the subsequent west coast low traverses the local area mid-week (likely dry) dropping temperatures back down into the 50s.

AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z THURSDAY/

Issued at 1115 PM CST Tue Feb 10 2026

For KGRI/KEAR Airports:

VFR conditions expected through TAF period. Light and variable winds continue overnight. Southerly winds increase to around 10kts for the late morning-afternoon, falling below 10kts at sunset. SCT-BKN high level clouds persist throughout the TAF period.

HYDROLOGY

Issued at 225 PM CST Tue Feb 10 2026

- Localized threat for ice jam flooding continues along the Platte and Loup River systems through at least Wednesday:

Although the "peak" of recent warmth is behind us, a prolonged stretch of solidly above normal temperatures will persist for many days to come in central/south central NE (highs mainly 50s/60s...overnight lows only slightly below freezing at most). As a result, continued ice melt/movement will persist for at least a few more days along the Platte/Loup River systems in the northern half of our forecast area. Until the ice sufficiently melts and/or "flushes out" downstream/east of our forecast area, localized ice jams cannot be ruled out...with the main window of continued concern expected to be over the next 24-48 hours.

GID WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

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