textproduct: Hastings

KEY MESSAGES

- Today will remain cloudy and relatively cool.

- A few rain showers are possible tonight into Wednesday morning, along with areas of fog (possibly dense).

- Above normal temperatures return for the rest of the week.

- Rain showers and a few weak t-storms are possible Thursday night (25% chance) and become likely on Friday (70% chance).

- Halloween (Saturday) evening continues to trend drier.

UPDATE

Issued at 202 AM CDT Tue Oct 27 2026

As of 2am, a few light showers persist over southeast parts of the area. These should continue to wane and diminish completely by around or shortly after sunrise. Additional rainfall totals are unlikely to be anything more than a hundredth or two.

Near term models hint that some fog may develop on the western edge of the widespread stratus around sunrise. Most of our area should remain cloudy enough to prevent this, but some patch fog is possible in western/northern areas (Dawson/Valley/Greeley counties mainly).

Skies remain mostly cloudy today, resulting in a seasonably cool day. High temperatures in the 50s and low 60s are only slightly below normal for late October.

Tonight, there will be another opportunity for fog as light south-southeasterly winds return. Models favor the highest potential for dense fog to be over northwestern parts of the area (near and northwest of a line from Cambridge to Kearney to Greeley, NE). Additionally, a few warm-air advection showers are possible. These will be spotty and very light (rain amounts 0.00 to 0.05").

Once we overcome any lingering fog and cloud cover, temperatures should rebound nicely on Wednesday, potentially reaching the 70s in much of Nebraska and even pushing 80 in portions of Kansas. Seasonable warmth continues on Thursday as well.

After a couple dry days, a few rain showers (or weak t-storms) could arrive as early as Thursday night. Showers and t-storms then become likely on Friday as an upper shortwave moves through the central Plains. Some activity could linger into Saturday morning, but ensembles continue to trend drier for the rest of the day.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 248 PM CDT Mon Oct 26 2026

The upper level disturbance moving out of the southwest trough continued to lift northeast as it exits this region this afternoon. A cold front across our western fringes can be seen in observations moving into Dawson county, with one final push of light showers possible across the area as it tracks eastward through the evening hours. Ahead of this front, cannot completely rule out an isolated thunderstorm, but given the lack of instability and thunderstorm development during the daytime hours thus far, the probability of this remains very low. As this system exits the region late tonight, expect light winds in its wake with the potential for some light fog development across the local area to start the day Tuesday. Given the light westerly component of the wind, do not think fog development across the local area will be widespread or dense, with the better probabilities existing across western Nebraska.

For Tuesday, expect significant cloud cover to remain in place across the region, but for a dry day with a return to more mild temperatures. As temperatures rise, some of the mesoscale models indicate some light shower potential late Tuesday afternoon/early evening, with spotty coverage and minimal QPF. Given this, maintained a low end chance for showers over this period, although most of the area should remain dry.

More widespread sunshine will likely return to the local area on Wednesday, after another chance for some morning fog across the local area. Given the more favorable light southeasterly flow across the area and high SREF probs Wednesday morning, could see more widespread fog to start the day. That said, after any morning fog clears, Wednesday afternoon looks like a spectacular fall afternoon with ample sunshine, light winds, and high temperatures in the low to mid 70s across the board.

Two additional distinct chances for precipitation return through the remainder of the forecast period with the first coming Thursday night through Friday night with a disturbance moving out of the southwest, and a second chance late in the weekend/early next week with a disturbance moving out of the Pacific Northwest. This leaves Halloween inbetween systems, and while there is a small chance for precipitation Halloween night - due in part to the blending of different computer models, most (if not all) of the local area should be dry with mild temperatures in the 60s expected during the evening hours.

AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z WEDNESDAY/

Issued at 1202 AM CDT Tue Oct 27 2026

For KGRI/KEAR Airports:

Main concerns for this TAF period remain with low-level cloud cover and potential for fog. At the start of the period, both terminals look to hover around/either side of the MVFR/IFR break for ceilings (1000ft)...with some patchy light fog possible. As we get closer to sunrise, mainly around/after 10Z, potential for LIFR conditions increase, with ceilings below 500ft possible, and visibilities at least in the area around/less than 1SM also possible. Confidence in just how low especially visibilities get is not high. Winds start out northwesterly, becoming more light/variable near/after 10Z. Models suggest some improvement mid-morning on...confidence in timing of that is not high, nor is just how much things will increase...kept things on the pessimistic side, with MVFR lingering through the daytime hours. Winds mid-morning on turn more southerly, remaining lighter, generally around 10-15 MPH.

GID WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

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