textproduct: Hastings

KEY MESSAGES

- Sprinkles are expected Tuesday afternoon through Tuesday night. A few flurries may mix in late Tuesday night.

- It will be increasingly breezy from Tuesday through the end of the week. The strongest winds are expected on Friday, and gusts of 45 5o 55 MPH are possible.

- There is only a low-end chance (10-20%) for snow Friday and Saturday.

UPDATE

Issued at 232 AM CST Mon Jan 12 2026

Overall, the forecast remains on-track. Today remains warm and pleasant with relatively light westerly winds.

Northwest winds increase late tonight into Tuesday as a shortwave moves through the northern Plains. Continued overnight mixing should keep temperatures above freezing for most of the area tonight, and we are still expected to break record warm minimum temperatures at both GRI and HSI (previous record 35).

Light rain moves into the area from the north late Tuesday afternoon into Tuesday evening. Drier air near the surface will result in only sprinkles for most areas. As temperatures fall Tuesday night, some light snow could mix in, but no accumulation or impacts are expected.

Lingering clouds and continued cold air advection will keep Wednesday cooler. High temperatures near 40 would be the coldest day in over 10 days...but still a few degrees above normal for mid-January.

Temperatures rebound on Thursday, but another shortwave and cold front move through, resulting in stronger winds and cooler temperatures for Friday. The 00Z global ensembles nudged a bit higher on wind speeds/gusts for Friday. Gusts 45-55 MPH are likely (50-90%), and high winds (60 MPH+) cannot be ruled out...especially in northern parts of the area.

Snow showers are possible Friday and Saturday in the cold air advection regime, but any accumulation would be minimal.

After a couple "normal" January days on Friday/Saturday, above normal temperatures are favored to return for the beginning of next week.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 353 PM CST Sun Jan 11 2026

Currently through tonight...

Been a quiet end to the weekend across the region...with most areas seeing mostly sunny skies. Looking in the upper levels, data showing a lower-amplitude pattern across much of the CONUS...low pressure spinning over the eastern US/Can border keeping troughing through the East Coast, with ridging extending north along the West Coast. This is keeping flow across the Central Plains northwesterly...with dry conditions thanks to a lack of any notable disturbances. At the surface, the forecast area is set up between high pressure centered roughly over eastern OK/KS and weak troughing draped SW from the eastern/central Dakotas into western NE/KS. Winds remain south- southwesterly...had a few gusts around 20-25 MPH closer to midday- early afternoon, but most speeds outside of far eastern areas are in the 10-15 MPH range. No big surprises with temps today...with 3PM obs ranging from right around 40 along the HWY 81 corridor to the mid 50s along/west of HWY 183.

Quiet conditions continue on into the evening and overnight hours tonight. Winds are expected to turn more westerly, but remain on the light side around 10 MPH.

Monday and Tuesday...

Looking to the start of the new work week...overall there hasn't been any significant changes to the forecast. Models still in pretty good agreement showing little change in the upper level pattern for Monday, with broad NWrly flow continuing. Monday is looking to be a pleasant day...expecting partly cloudy to mostly sunny skies, with continued westerly winds as we sit north of an area of sfc high pressure extending along the Gulf Coast region, while a weak trough boundary pushes east across the region. Speeds looking to top out around 10-15 MPH. Models showing the air mass continuing to moderate, and with the westerly, downsloping component to the winds (though not strong), expecting a bump up in temperatures...with forecast highs in the mid 50s to low 60s.

Tuesday into Tuesday night, the first of a couple of upper level disturbances looks to starting digging south-southeast out of central Canada, eventually resulting in a more amplified pattern in the upper levels across the central CONUS. Tuesday will have the potential to be more breezy/windy, as a cold front works its way south. Winds start the day westerly, turning more northwesterly behind that boundary...and especially across the northern half of the area, gusts around 30-35 MPH are not out of the question. Confidence in high temps for Tuesday is not high...as there will be the potential ahead of the front for highs to climb up around 60 (especially in the southern half)...but there looks to be more cloud cover. Though not a ton of moisture to work with, it's not out of the question that a swath of light precipitation (driven by another strong upper level jet streak) could nose in from the NNW during the afternoon/evening hours...so will be keeping an eye on how models trend, at this point looking like it'd mainly be liquid.

Wednesday and on...

Breezy conditions are likely to continue on into the day on Wednesday in the wake of the cold front...but should diminish in speed as the afternoon hours pass. Sharper northerly upper level flow is expected as this first disturbance/trough axis pushes east...forecast currently remains dry, but like Tue/Tue night, will see how models trend with any lingering light precipitation potential. It'll be a cooler day...highs are currently in the low- mid 40s, could see that trend down more in the coming days.

Forecast remains dry for Thursday as well, with models showing a brief bout of upper level shortwave ridging making its way through the Plains...allowing for a rebound in temperatures back further into the 40s-low 50s. Another frontal boundary accompanying the next upper level system will be working its way toward the forecast area during the afternoon hours...confidence in the timing of its passage is not high at this point, which would affect both the wind and temp forecast.

Next upper level disturbance will be taking a similar track southeastward out of central Canada into the Great Lakes region Thursday night through Friday night...with a trough axis extending well to its south-southwest through the Plains. Again not having a plentiful moisture source to work with, any precipitation for our area associated with this system currently looks to be pretty light...we'll see how models trend this week. Looking like the more notable impact would be with 'colder' (basically normal) temperatures and stronger winds. Forecast highs for Friday are in the mid-upper 30s for most of the forecast area...but strong NW winds behind the front could have gusts near/over 40-45 MPH...and the ECMWF ensemble probabilities still showing a roughly 10-30 percent chance of gusts at/over 50kts (58 MPH) over our south central NE counties.

Dry conditions return for next weekend, with temps mainly in the 30s sticking around for Saturday, then more 40s/near 50 for Sunday.

AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z TUESDAY/

Issued at 534 AM CST Mon Jan 12 2026

For KGRI/KEAR Airports:

High confidence in VFR conditions through this TAF period. Only FEW-SCT high clouds expeced.

Winds will be light and out of the west today. Winds increase late tonight into Tuesday morning, and a period of LLWS is possible prior to dawn on Tuesday.

GID WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

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