textproduct: Hastings

KEY MESSAGES

- Above normal temperatures persist through the end of the week, with the overall warmest day coming on Friday. Expect elevated to near critical fire weather each afternoon for mainly W/SW portions of the area - though, similar to today, will need to watch for "sneaky" critical conditions far W/SW for Wed aftn.

- Rain showers are possible (20-50% chance) Wed aftn into the overnight. Can't rule out a few rumbles of thunder. Unfortunately, rain amounts look to be light at around a tenth of an inch, or less.

- Much cooler temperatures return this weekend, and still looking at the potential for some wintry precipitation (20-40%) off and on Sunday into Tuesday. Latest trends suggest this activity will be light and void of significant impacts.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 400 PM CST Tue Feb 24 2026

Fast WNW/NW mid-upper flow in place across the region today, with a steady stream of copious mid to high level cloud cover streaming through. Despite this, air temps have warmed nicely into the 50s-60s, though the "feels like" is definitely lower due to brisk wind. Had a bit more overlap of the warmth and wind that W/SW portions of the area reached critical fire weather conditions, but not expecting this to be an issue anymore today given some low level cold air advection behind a weak front and generally decreasing wind speeds. Expect quiet conditions tonight - with any light returns on radar associated with the thick mid-high clouds being representative of virga thanks to aforementioned dry low levels.

Local area will remain in general mild weather pattern through the week, locked in somewhat of a persistent transition zone between much cooler 20s-40s to the N/NE and much warmer 60s-70s over the High Plains of E CO and W KS. A weak disturbance riding the baroclinic zone will contribute to at least modest chances (up to 40-50% peak chances) for scattered precip beginning Wed aftn and persisting into Wed night. Expect most of this to be liquid, though can't completely rule out some minor wet snow over the far N/NE initially. Also can't rule out a few rumbles of thunder - as evident by inclusion of general thunder in SPC Day 2 outlook. Felt this was still too minor to force inclusion in the builder as most will not see it. Unfortunately, as we really need the moisture, precip amounts are forecast to remain light at only around tenth of an inch, or less.

Forecast remains dry otherwise through the end of the week. Similar to today, will need to keep an eye on the potential for a relatively narrow and/or brief window for tanking RHs amidst moderately breezy and veering SW to WNW winds. This would be mainly W of Hwy 183 and particularly close in Gosper and Furnas Counties, mainly in the 21Z-00Z time frame. Will continue mention in HWO and forego formal headlines, for now. Warmest day of the week will be Friday, with widespread highs in the 60s to lower 70s, but winds look to be quite weak. So a fantastic end to the last full work week in February and a solid opportunity to enjoy some nice weather.

Conditions turn much cooler (though really just back down to around or slightly below normal) over the weekend into early next week. Models still hint at some off and on light precip potential (off and on chances around 20-40%), possibly of the wintry and/or mix variety, off and on Sunday through Tuesday. With that said, ensembles keep amounts on the lower side of things, and nothing at this time screams significant accumulations and/or impacts. IF there are to be any accumulations, latest EPS favors Mon night into Tue the most.

AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z THURSDAY/

Issued at 541 PM CST Tue Feb 24 2026

For KGRI/KEAR Airports:

Expecting dry conditions and VFR conditions for the majority of this TAF period...with an upper level disturbance bringing increasing rain chances for the final few hours. Expecting plenty of cloud cover through tonight, with some breaks possible during the daytime hours Wed...ceilings are expected to gradually lower with time Wed, but currently have staying VFR. Confidence in those ceilings is lower in the final few hours of the period when those rain chances move in. NNE winds early this evening become more light/variable through the overnight hours tonight...then turn more southerly during the late morning-early afternoon hours before becoming west- southwesterly toward the end of this period. Speeds currently top out around 15 MPH during the day on Wed.

GID WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

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