textproduct: Hastings

KEY MESSAGES

- Freeze Warning in effect until 9am with temperatures in the 20s to low 30s.

- Critical fire weather conditions expected today due to the combination of NW winds gusting 25-35mph and low relative humidity. A Red Flag Warning is in effect 12-8pm.

- Another round of near-below freezing temperatures possible tonight.

- Above normal temperatures Sunday-Thursday with highs generally in the 70s and 80s. Next chance for rain arrives Wednesday night onwards, though the best chances look to be north/east of the area.

UPDATE

Issued at 220 AM CDT Sat Apr 18 2026

Clear skies, light winds and a seasonably cool airmass have resulted in temperatures falling into the 20s and 30s this morning. Aloft the area is under the base/center of a trough traversing through the Plains. Temperatures are expected to bottom out around sunrise, in the low 20s (northwest) to low 30s (southeast). A Freeze Warning remains in effect for the area until 9am.

A seasonably cool day is expected across the area under the influence of troughing aloft. Highs today will be in the mid 50s (north) to low 60s (south). Despite the cooler weather, dewpoints in the single digits and teens will result in afternoon relative humidity values dropping into the teens. Breezy northwest winds gusting 25-35mph combined with the low humidity will result in critical fire weather conditions across the area. A Red Flag Warning is in effect from 12pm to 8pm.

Clear skies and light winds allow temperatures to once again drop towards freezing tonight-Sunday morning. Temperatures Sunday morning look to be a few degrees warmer than this(Saturday) morning (lows: upper 20s-low 30s). A Freeze headline was considered, but given the slightly warmer temperatures, a true hard freeze appears marginal at this time. If temperatures trend cooler, a headline may be needed.

Northwesterly flow aloft builds over the area on Sunday, with highs climbing above normal in the mid 60s (northeast) to upper 70s (southwest). Light winds and mostly sunny skies will result in a fairly pleasant day across the area. Otherwise the forecast remains largely on track with warming temperatures continuing into the middle of the week (highs 80s). The next chance for precipitation arrives Wednesday night onwards as another broad trough moves into the area. While there remains spread in model guidance, ensemble guidance indicates the best chances are north/east of the area.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 241 PM CDT Fri Apr 17 2026

This Afternoon into Tonight...

The wind will remain gusty at 40 to 45 mph at times until we lose diurnal heating/mixing around sunset. The wind will die down overnight and with clearing skies after midnight we expect pretty cold frosty temperatures. Lows are expected to drop into the lower 20s northwest to around 32 in Beloit with a pretty solid freeze for most areas. Get out there and cover your vulnerable plants if you already have them in the ground. You will also need to remember to cover them again Saturday night for round two of the sub-freezing temperatures.

Saturday...

We have a really impressive sounding with steep dry adiabatic lapse rates to over 650 mb indicating strong mixing down of stronger winds aloft. Therefore, increased winds a bit above NBM guidance using a mix down tool for both winds and dew points. Consequently, also lowered dew points and RH values a bit below NBM. The wind will be more marginal across north central Kansas, but still enough to warrant a Red Flag.

Sunday...

The wind will be lighter and we expect one more cold sub- freezing morning in the string of cold. It's highly likely that most if not all areas will need another frost or freeze headline for Saturday night into Sunday morning. Plan on covering your sensitive plants the next two nights.

With the dry airmass in place we do expect a nice warmup into the 70s by Sunday afternoon.

Monday and Tuesday...

An upper level ridge will swing into the region and we expect dry and very warm conditions for this time of year with highs in the 80s.

Wednesday through Friday...

The next upper trough will enter the high plains as early as Wednesday, although the better chances for thunderstorms will be west of us on Wednesday. This trough will slowly move across the plains through the end of the week and it's too early to tell how much rain if any we will get from this system. A lot will depend on the strength and timing of this wave and it's too far away to get a good handle on that. But at least our next chance for showers and thunderstorms will be associated with this system mid to late week.

AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z SUNDAY/

Issued at 1225 AM CDT Sat Apr 18 2026

For KGRI/KEAR Airports:

VFR conditions expected through TAF period. Winds will be light and west-northwest overnight, remaining light through the mid- late morning. Around noon on Saturday sustained winds increase to around 15kts with gusts around 25kts. Winds become light and variable after sunset. Scattered mid-high level clouds are possible Saturday afternoon, but clear after sunset.

FIRE WEATHER

Issued at 220 AM CDT Sat Apr 18 2026

Northwest winds gusting 25-35mph are expected during the late morning hours through sunset, strongest along/north of Interstate 80. Despite highs only in the 50s and 60s, dewpoints in the single digits and teens will result in relative humidity values in the teens. This will result in critical fire weather conditions across the entire area during the afternoon and evening hours. A Red Flag Warning is in effect for the area 12-8pm. While winds drop off after sunset due to a loss of atmospheric mixing, relative humidity values will be slower to improve, remaining below 40% through midnight.

Fire weather concerns are low on Sunday as winds are much lighter across the area, with gusts generally below 20mph. Relative humidity values of 10-20% are possible along and southwest of the Tri-Cities during the afternoon. A brief window of near-critical conditions could develop across Phillips/Smith/Rooks/Osborne counties where gusts of 20-25mph can't be ruled out.

At least near-critical fire weather conditions are possible across portions of the area Monday-Friday due to the overlap of low humidity (10-20% and breezy winds (gusts at least 20-30mph). The strongest winds are Wednesday-Friday, though there remains a fair amount of spread in model guidance bringing uncertainty on the coverage of lower RH values.

GID WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

NE...Freeze Warning until 9 AM CDT this morning for NEZ039>041- 046>049-060>064-072>077-082>087. Red Flag Warning from noon today to 8 PM CDT this evening for NEZ039>041-046>049-060>064-072>077-082>087. KS...Freeze Warning until 9 AM CDT this morning for KSZ005>007- 017>019. Red Flag Warning from noon today to 8 PM CDT this evening for KSZ005>007-017>019.