textproduct: Hastings

KEY MESSAGES

- Scattered showers most into the area tonight, most likely for areas along/south of I-80.

- Another round of scattered-widespread showers/storms moves through the area Thursday night-Friday. Overall accumulations are forecast to be the highest across western portions of the area.

- Highs in the 50s/60s Thursday and Friday, climb into the 70s on Saturday and reach the 80s Sunday-early next week as ridging builds over the area.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 235 PM CDT Wed May 20 2026

This afternoon-Thursday afternoon...

A band of rain is steadily lifting north, currently impacting areas along/north of Highway 92 in Nebraska. As this band exits the area this afternoon, there will be a lull in precipitation through the mid evening hours. Aloft the area is under southwesterly flow, with ridging over the northeast and a trough over the southwest. A passing disturbance within this southwesterly flow brings the next chance for rain to the area during the late evening-overnight hours. The overall highest chances (35-50%) for scattered showers tonight will be along and south of Interstate 80.

The overall coverage of showers diminishes during the daytime hours on Thursday, though a few showers may linger throughout the day (most likely for areas west of Highway 183). Widespread cloud coverage keeps the area cool on Thursday, confining highs to the upper 50s to low 60s.

Thursday evening-Friday Night...

Scattered showers/storms return Thursday evening/night as the next system moves into the Rockies/Plains. The heaviest and most consistent rain Thursday night looks to be for areas west of Highway 281 in Nebraska. Friday continues to be the day with the highest potential for off and on rain throughout the daytime hours, though not everywhere will be a "washout". Rain and cloud coverage results in another seasonably cool day as highs top out in the 60s. A cold front pushes through the area Friday afternoon(west)-night(east), with rain coming to an end behind the front. The overall highest rain accumulations through Friday night favor areas along/west of Highway 183. The 12z GFS and ECMWF ensembles indicate that western portions of the area have a 50-60% chance for 0.5" or more of rain. Any rain exits the area by sunrise on Saturday as the cold front moves into the Midwest.

Saturday Onwards...

Sunshine returns to the area on Saturday with highs near normal, in the low-mid 70s. While the forecast currently remains dry, one last passing disturbance could bring low/light PoPs to western portions of the area Saturday afternoon-evening. In the wake of this departing system, ridging begins to build over the area this weekend- early next week. The result is dry and above normal temperatures Sunday through the end of the forecast period with highs in the 80s. Model spread begins to increase around the end of the forecast period as troughing moves into the western U.S.

AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY/

Issued at 1230 PM CDT Wed May 20 2026

For KGRI/KEAR Airports:

VFR conditions favored at KGRI through TAF period. MVFR conditions possible at KEAR around end of TAF period. Scattered showers currently impacting KGRI/KEAR will come to an end over the next hour. Then a break in rain is expected through midnight, with rain showers first impacting KEAR then KGRI through sunrise. Low VFR conditions and lowered (VFR) visibility is possible in these showers). During the mid-late morning hours, low VFR to MVFR clouds move into the area. The exact coverage/location of this is uncertain, but MVFR clouds are more likely at KEAR than KGRI. Thus have opted to include a MVFR ceilings group at KEAR and not KGRI.

GID WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

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