textproduct: Hastings

KEY MESSAGES

- Patchy to widespread fog is possible through the mid morning hours. Visibility around 1 mile is possible at times in fog.

- An extended period of heat and humidity builds over the area on Sunday and persists through the end of the forecast period. Highs and heat index values will generally be in the 90s to around 100 degrees each day.

- The overall highest heat index values are expected on Sunday, where areas along/east of Highway 281 could experience heat index values around 105 degrees.

UPDATE

Issued at 251 AM CDT Sat Jun 27 2026

Low stratus is gradually building across the area this morning. As this stratus becomes more widespread, patchy to widespread fog is favored to develop over the area. How dense and the exact coverage of fog remains uncertain in part due to winds being slightly stronger than is typically favorable for fog development. Visibility around 1 mile is possible in fog, but chances for dense fog are uncertain at this time. Regardless, fog is favored to clear by the mid morning hours (9-10am). Low stratus is expected to linger across the area longer. Stratus will gradually clear from southwest to northeast during the late morning-afternoon hours. This cloud coverage will keep highs slightly cooler today, particularly across northeastern portions of the area. The current forecast highs range from the low 90s across southwest portions of the area to the low 80s across the northeast. A few scattered thunderstorms are expected to develop over the panhandle of Nebraska during the late afternoon- evening hours. Model guidance favors these storms remaining northwest of the area, though can't completely rule out a storm clipping far northwestern portions of the area (Lexington-Ord) late this evening.

Southwesterly flow aloft strengthens on Sunday, bringing in the first in a series of hot days to the area. Highs on Sunday soar into the 90s, with temperatures topping out around 100 degrees across portions of north central Kansas. The biggest forecast question Sunday onwards will be regarding potential the need for heat headlines across at least a portion of the area. Dewpoints each day increase as one moves east across the forecast area, generally ranging from the upper 50s (west) to upper 60s/low 70s (east). Sunday remains the day most likely to see an overlap/the greatest overlap of hot temperatures and high dewpoints. Heat index values on Sunday will range from the mid 90s in the west, to the low-mid 100s along/east of Highway 281. A Heat Advisory was considered for Sunday matching up with neighboring offices to the east/southeast, but uncertainty on how much of the area will experience Heat Advisory conditions (Heat Index values of 105 degrees) precludes a headline issuance at this time. Areas most favored to experience these conditions are well highlighted by the NWS HeatRisk product which places eastern portions of the area in a level 3 or "major" risk of heat-related impacts. The highest dewpoints & heat indices shift just east of the area Monday onwards, though heat still remains impactful. To sum up: the first extended period of heat and humidity will develop over the area Sunday and persist into much of next week. Highs and heat index values will be in the 90s to around 100 degrees each day.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 322 PM CDT Fri Jun 26 2026

Tonight...

Mostly cloudy to overcast skies today have helped keep highs in the upper 70s to lower 80s for one last time this week. Strengthening southerly winds, however, will later help warm things up for the weekend. Aloft, stable conditions from zonal (west to east) flow will help keep widespread precipitation chances out of the forecast for now.

A few scattered storms developing across the foothills of the Rockies this afternoon may later tonight approach the vicinity of a few west central NE/KS areas. Though it is unlikely for these storms to reach far past our western edge (Dawson/Gosper/Furnas counties in Nebraska and Phillips/Rooks in Kansas), a small possibility of a brief storm or shower can't be 100% ruled out (less than 20% chance). In all likeliness, these storms should generally be on their last leg if not just showers by the time of their potential arrival (around 10PM-3AM).

The only last feature to highlight tonight will be the potential for fog. Though winds may not fully calm overnight, speeds dropping less than 10MPH with broad southeast upslope flow and temperatures falling near their dewpoints (low to mid 60s), may lead to a few areas of condensation or in other words, fog formation. The high resolution models at this point in time, tend to favor east central Nebraska for the "densest" or best potential for fog formation tonight. Though the fog potential really can't be ruled out for the rest of the region given similar conditions. Confidence is not yet high enough to consider the issuance of a Dense Fog Advisory this shift, however, if certain model trends continue, one may be considered during the next forecast cycle tonight.

The Main Story this Weekend: The Heat...

Despite some morning to early afternoon cloud coverage on Saturday, highs will begin a weekend warmup, stretching into the 80s to low 90s Saturday and the 90s to low triple digits on Sunday (generally the warmest temperatures towards the far southwestern portions of the area). This multi-day warmup will mainly be influenced by the presence of a northward lifting warm front, accompanied by at times breezy southerly winds (gusts as high as 25-35MPH, possibly even a tad bit higher at times). This strong surface warm air advection will additionally feed in moisture on top of the warm airmass (60s and 70s dewpoints), especially across eastern NE/KS. This surge in moisture will ultimately result in inflated heat index values ranging the mid 90s (far west areas) all the way up to 106 degrees (far east areas with higher moisture content).

As far as the heat risk for Sunday goes, the area is currently forecast to range Moderate to High Heat Risk classifications (levels 2&3 out of 4). Even though gusty southerly winds may provide some heat relief Sunday afternoon, limited cloud coverage should not be able to limit the solar flux much. The Wet Bulb Globe Temperature forecast (an index to measure the solar/wind contribution/influence to/on heat relief) also shows values in the Moderate to High classifications (level 3&4 out of 5). Though the issuance of a Heat Advisory was held off for now (forecast nearing criteria), this heat will likely still be fairly impactful, especially to individuals without an effective hydration or cooling source.

Besides the warm temperatures, the mention of precipitation remain out of the forecast through the weekend. Aloft, southwest flow is slated to return as a Northwest U.S. centered trough provokes height/pressure falls across the Rocky Mountains. In addition, a Southeast U.S. ridge is expected to strengthen, partially halting the troughs eastward momentum. This ultimately should keep precipitation chances north of the area until at least Monday.

Monday and Beyond...

A little more nuance enters the forecast next week, though a few general conclusions can still be made. The main signal that continues to show merit is with the temperatures. Highs from Monday through Friday look to mainly stay in the 90s with overnight lows in the 70s. Besides the hot temperatures, a drier pattern may also lie on the horizon. The only mentionable PoPs in the forecast lie Monday night (10-45%) and Tuesday (25-45%) as the aforementioned trough sweeps by just northwest of the area. Several details regarding these storm's total coverage and intensity are still to be ironed out.

AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z SUNDAY/

Issued at 630 AM CDT Sat Jun 27 2026

For KGRI/KEAR Airports:

LIFR conditions expected to persist for the next few hours (15-16z). In addition, patchy fog may reduce visibility to IFR for the next couple of hours at KGRI/KEAR. Ceilings gradually improve during the late morning hours, rising to IFR then MVFR by the afternoon. There remains some uncertainty how quickly skies clear and conditions improve to VFR but it's overall favored by the mid afternoon (20z). Once conditions become VFR, it's expected to persist through the end of the TAF period.

Southeast winds increase this morning. Sustained winds around 15kts and gusts around 25kts are expected throughout the afternoon-early evening hours. Winds decrease slightly after sunset but gusts still remain around 20kts overnight. Southerly LLWS is likely to develop around midnight and persist through the end of the TAF period.

GID WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

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