textproduct: Hastings

KEY MESSAGES

- Temperatures will be on the gradual rise through Monday (highs in the low triple digits possible Sunday/Monday afternoon).

- Temperatures for much of the rest of the week should hang around the mid 80s to mid 90s.

- Dry conditions, outside of a few isolated showers along a nearby cold front Saturday afternoon, will be expected to last through Tuesday.

- A few chances of precipitation (15-45%) currently lie across the Wednesday night through Friday period, though confidence remains limited for any event still 6 to 7 days out.

UPDATE

Issued at 209 AM CDT Fri Jul 17 2026

The main story within the short-term period will be the steadily increasing heat over the weekend. A ridge, parked across much of the central U.S. in the mid to upper levels, has been responsible for keeping around generally drier and warmer temperatures. This feature has no intentions of breaking down or shifting away anytime soon (at least through the weekend). As result, temperatures are likely to continue to increase through Monday with no widespread precipitation chances in the forecast.

Highs today will likely range the upper 80s to mid 90s (a degree or two warmer from Thursday) as mostly clear skies continue to let the sun shine through. In addition, a weak surface pressure gradient will keep winds light (5-15MPH) and generally out of the south for the day. Similar conditions should return for Saturday, though highs will mainly range the mid 90s with the light surface winds out of the southeast. For comparison, normal highs for time of year (mid July) usually range around the upper 80s for south central Nebraska and north central Kansas.

In terms of precipitation, chances remain out of the forecast for now. A cold front, however, should near north central and eastern nebraska Saturday afternoon. It is possible for a few localized showers or weak thunderstorms to pop up along this front. The coverage of any such precipitation, however, should cover less than 20% of the coverage area (south central Nebraska and north central Kansas).

Even warmer conditions will be expected to come Sunday as highs near the 100s. The latest HREF guidance suggests that 20-30% of the area could see highs reach 100 degrees on Sunday afternoon. Despite the warming temperatures, heat index values are only forecast as high as 96-104 degrees given the presence of mid 60s dewpoints. Otherwise, mostly sunny skies with the continuation of steady southerly winds (10-15MPH) will remain put among broad high surface pressure.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 101 PM CDT Thu Jul 16 2026

The primary change in this forecast was the addition of isolated sprinkles/showers to the forecast for this afternoon. This is most favorable over the eastern half of the area. There is enough instability that a few rumbles of thunder are not out of the question as well. Shear is very weak, so updrafts will be short-lived and non-severe. All in all, impacts will be minimal, and the overwhelming majority of the area is expected to remain dry.

Otherwise, ridging will continue to favor mostly dry and increasingly warm conditions through the weekend. Temperatures on both Sunday and Monday could approach 100 degrees with heat index values near 105 degrees in many areas. Of the two days, Monday looks to be the "peak," before a pattern shift for the middle to end of next week.

Models favor a more active pattern for the middle to end of next week. But, to be fair, it isn't particularly hard to be more active than this week has been. The EPS favors slightly above-normal precip totals in the 5-10 day range, but the other global ensembles are not quite as optimistic.

AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SATURDAY/

Issued at 1202 PM CDT Fri Jul 17 2026

For KGRI/KEAR Airports:

VFR conditions expected through TAF period. SCT mid-high level clouds are possible this afternoon, clearing this evening with skies remaining clear overnight. Southerly winds become light and variable this evening through the end of the TAF period.

GID WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

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