textproduct: Goodland

KEY MESSAGES

- Dense freezing fog is possible for a few hours this morning across Graham and Norton counties.

- Dry conditions, light winds and above average temperatures will prevail through the remainder of the week.

- Hazardous weather is presently not anticipated through the upcoming weekend.

UPDATE

Issued at 612 AM MST Thu Jan 1 2026

Added in some freezing fog mainly to eastern portions of Graham and Norton counties as a noticeable westward propagation has been noted on satellite. This is the area where winds are more light and southeasterly. The Phillipsburg observation has reported quarter mile visibility.

SHORT TERM /THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/

Issued at 1205 AM MST Thu Jan 1 2026

Overview: A pronounced ridge over the western CONUS will weaken/erode.. and speedy NW flow aloft in the lee of the Rockies will weaken and back to the W.. in this period as an upper level low and additional shortwave energy moving ashore the California coast (this morning) tracks E across the Intermountain West and 4-Corners (today-tonight) then ESE-SE across the Southern Plains (Fri-Fri night).

Today-Tonight: Weak horizontal thermal advection (ill-defined MSLP-850 mb height gradient, weak low-level flow) and a thick veil of orographically enhanced cirrus (per forecast soundings and IR satellite trends) suggest that temperatures will be cooler than yesterday, albeit still above average.. with highs in the upper 50's to lower 60's and overnight / Friday morning lows in the upper 20's to lower 30's.

Fri-Fri night: Shortwave energy progressing ESE-SE from the 4-Corners to the Southern Plains (TX Panhandle/OK) will remain well south of the Tri-State area (i.e. unlikely to affect sensible weather conditions in the Goodland CWA). Further north, guidance suggests that low-level warm advection/frontogenesis on the eastern periphery of a modest lee cyclone in southeast Wyoming could potentially aid in the development of light precipitation over portions of the Nebraska Panhandle into central Nebraska (along/north of I-80) during the day on Fri. While said precipitation would not directly affect the Goodland CWA, evaporative cooling and airmass modification stemming from said precipitation could influence temperatures over a limited portion of the area.. most likely in Red Willow/Norton counties. With the above in mind, expect dry conditions and temperatures similar to today.. except in northeast portions of the area where highs will likely be several degrees cooler (lower 50's).

LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/

Issued at 100 AM MST Thu Jan 1 2026

Sat-Tue: Long range guidance suggests that an amplifying upper level ridge over the western CONUS (Sat) will shift eastward over the central CONUS early next week.. as a complex, fractured upper level trough slowly progresses ashore the Pacific Coast. Expect dry conditions and well above average temperatures.

Wed-Thu: Low confidence in forecast specifics. Long range guidance suggests a potential for active weather mid-late week.. when a portion of the complex, fractured Pacific Coast trough is prognosticated to progress east across the Rockies. Considerable model-to-model and run-to-run variation exists with regard to the track/evolution of this feature, enough-so that.. little more can be divined at this range.

AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z FRIDAY/

Issued at 215 AM MST Thu Jan 1 2026

GLD: VFR conditions and light/variable winds will rule through the TAF period, with ceilings confined to cirrus at or above 13,000 ft AGL.

MCK: At 0915 UTC this morning, the southwestern periphery of ongoing LIFR-IFR ceilings/fog in central Nebraska was located near Lexington (KLXN) and Holdrege (KHDE), or ~50 nautical miles ENE and NE of the McCook terminal. Current and recent runs of high resolution guidance continue to suggest that sub-VFR conditions will remain at least ~40 nautical miles east of the McCook terminal. With the above in mind, VFR conditions are expected to rule through the TAF period.. with ceilings confined to cirrus at or above ~15,000 ft AGL. Winds will remain light and variable throughout the TAF period.

CLIMATE

Issued at 200 AM MST Thu Jan 1 2026

Record high temperatures were observed on New Year's Eve (December 31, 2025) at Goodland, Hill City and McCook.

At Hill City, KS the high temperature on Wed Dec 31 was 66F. This breaks the old record of 64F, set in 1950.

At McCook, NE the high temperature on Wed Dec 31 was 65F. This breaks the old record of 62F, set in 1938.

At Goodland, KS the high temperature on Wed Dec 31 was 64F. This ties the old record of 64F, most recently set in 2005.

GLD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

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