textproduct: Hastings

KEY MESSAGES

- The next chance of precipitation (40-70%) will come Tuesday, although accumulations appear to be more on the minimal side of things (0-0.25"). The best potential will generally lie towards far southeastern portions of the area.

- Temperatures will warm through Monday (mainly the 70s), bouncing between the 50s, 60s and low 70s for the rest of next week.

- Near-critical fire weather conditions return to portions of the area most afternoons next week. Winds through Tuesday do not appear to be strong enough to provoke widespread critical conditions at this time.

- Fire weather concerns may become more heightened Wednesday and Thursday afternoon as gustier conditions look slightly more possible (gusts as high as 25-30MPH).

DISCUSSION

Issued at 201 PM CST Sat Mar 7 2026

This Afternoon through Monday...

Water vapor imagery from satellite this afternoon reveals a positively tilted and a elongated/stretched trough across much of the Central U.S. this afternoon. The northeastern and more progressive end to to the wave is expected to pinch off from the southwest base, forming a cut-off low across the Southwest U.S. This process will allow for some stabilization aloft from zonal oriented flow taking over for the start of new week. This pattern shift should bat off any precipitation chances until at least Tuesday. At the surface, higher pressure with subsidence aloft will keep skies clear and winds light/steady (gusts <25MPH) with wind directions generally staying out of a westerly direction through Monday afternoon. Temperatures underneath such conditions will be able to raise up to the 70s by Monday afternoon. A few areas southwest of the Tri-cities will even have a shot (50-80% chance) of reaching 80 degrees.

The warming conditions combined with drier air mixing down as well as also being transported in from the west-to-southwely downsloping flow, will keep afternoon minimum relative humidity values below 30% and to as low as 10-15% across a few locations out west. Near- critical fire weather concerns will return each afternoon for mainly a few western portions of the area. The lighter winds (gusts mainly <25MPH) will keep critical conditions from becoming widespread.

Tuesday and Beyond...

A cold front passing Monday night into Tuesday morning will send temperatures back down to the upper 40s to low 50s for highs Wednesday. In addition, the aforementioned Southwest cutoff low will be scheduled to re-enter the upper level flow, merging back in with a midweek trough. This disturbance may be responsible for the area's next precipitation system, though there is some uncertainty on how impactful this wave will actually be to the local areas (south central Nebraska & north central Kansas). As of now, our PoPs highlight a 40-70% gradient that increases towards the southeast. Most of the action is favored to stay outside of our southeast. Despite these medium precipitation chances, accumulation amounts will be more minor side (0-0.25"). Several areas may be missed by precipitation altogether.

Beyond the system Tuesday, a weak ridging pattern behind will allow for temperatures to oscillate between the 50s, 60s and 70s Thursday through the end of the week. Retaining periods of dry conditions with potentially gustier winds Wednesday and Thursday afternoon may provoke more widespread near-ctritcal to critical fire weather conditions.

AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z SUNDAY/

Issued at 531 PM CST Sat Mar 7 2026

For KGRI/KEAR Airports:

Very high confidence (near 100%) in VFR conditions through the TAF period.

There is a brief window for LLWS tonight...mainly 06-09Z.

Southwest winds turn to the west to west-southwest on Sunday.

GID WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

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