textproduct: Hastings

KEY MESSAGES

- Showers will spread north across local area this afternoon with widespread light rainfall expected to overtake the entire area by the mid to late evening hours. Overall accumulations through Thursday mid-day are expected to range from 0.25-0.5", with locally higher amounts up to 1" possible.

- An isolated thunderstorm will be possible mainly between 7 PM tonight and 7 AM Thursday morning. Severe/strong thunderstorms are not expected.

- Near to slightly below normal temperatures are anticipated through Saturday, with seasonably warm temperatures anticipated over the upcoming weekend/early next week.

- A small chance for light showers will be possible in spots Friday, with dry weather anticipated over the upcoming weekend. Additional small chances for precip return next Tuesday/Wednesday.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 255 PM CDT Wed Apr 1 2026

Ap upper level low is expected to lift northeast from the four corners area into the plains overnight tonight. Ahead of this low, the atmosphere is already beginning to saturate, and some light showers have started to develop across our Kansas counties this afternoon. Expect light precipitation to continue to spread northeast across the entire area over the next several hours, with widespread light rain showers expected this evening and overnight. In addition, with marginal instability and the presence of the upper level low tracking across the area, expect an isolated rumble of thunder or two late this evening/ overnight, although severe weather is not anticipated. That said, given the presence of the upper level low aloft, some small hail cannot be ruled out with the strongest storms that do eventually develop.

Rainfall will begin to taper off from the southwest to northeast across the local area Thursday morning, with at least partial sunshine returning to the local area Thursday afternoon. This should allow afternoon temperatures to climb 5-10 degrees above this afternoons readings, before a subsequent upper level disturbance pushes across the local area from the northwest Friday. This second disturbance will have more of a northern track and is not expected to be a significant rainfall producer, with a few hundredths looking likely at best. That said, tonight system is expected to bring widespread wetting rainfall to the area, with most locations expected to receive between and quarter and a half of an inch of precip, with the more favored locations possibly receiving up to one inch of accumulation. The 18Z HRRR is even more promising, with much of the area north of Highway 6 favored to receive around an inch of rainfall. While the official forecast is not that wet, the trends in the mesoscale models cast some hope for a decent rainfall impacting much of the area tonight.

Beyond Friday, an upper level ridge is expected to build to our west over the upcoming weekend, with heights rising and northwest flow establishing itself aloft. This should allow for a seasonably warm weekend with a return of some marginal fire weather concerns, especially for areas west of Highway 183 where the combination of winds and low RH look to be the most concerning.

Given the progressive northwest flow expected to establish itself aloft late in the weekend, additional disturbances in this flow next week could bring some more rainfall to the region, with chances for precipitation returning again as early as Tuesday or Wednesday of next week.

AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z FRIDAY/

Issued at 629 PM CDT Wed Apr 1 2026

For KGRI/KEAR Airports:

IFR to LIFR conditions expected through the Mid-morning hours on Thursday. IFR stratus has moved into the TAF sites (or will shortly at KEAR) and will persist through overnight hours. Scattered showers are possible this evening which may result in LIFR conditions. Around midnight, embedded/scattered thunderstorms are possible within the broader rain shield. The timing or duration is uncertain so have maintained a PROB30 group to indicate this potential. Rain chances will come to an end around the mid morning hours (14-16z), but the exact end time is uncertain. As rain comes to an end Thursday morning, ceilings will gradually improve to MVFR, then VFR in the afternoon as the stratus deck lifts northeast of the TAF sites. Visibilities may fall to IFR (around 2 miles) in showers and potentially LIFR in thunderstorms.

Winds remain east-northeast through the overnight hours. Around sunrise, winds shift to the north-northwest behind a frontal passage with sustained winds of 10-15kts, gusting around 20kts. Thursday afternoon winds shift to the west-southwest and become light and variable.

GID WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

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