textproduct: Goodland

KEY MESSAGES

- Temperatures warming to near and slightly above normal through early next week.

SHORT TERM /THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/

Issued at 230 PM MDT Sun Oct 18 2026

..Benign Weather and Near Average to Above Average Temps..

Guidance suggests that SW flow aloft will prevail over the Rockies and adjoining High Plains as an amplifying eastern Pacific trough (~700 miles west of Vancouver Island this afternoon) evolves into a closed low that digs southward along the Pacific Coast and a broad upper level ridge slowly/gradually amplifies over the central CONUS.. and that a modest low-level southerly flow regime will persist over the Central Plains, on the eastern periphery of a diurnally waxing/waning lee trough (or baggy lee cyclone) in Colorado.

Benign weather and above average temperatures will prevail throughout the short term period. Daytime highs and overnight lows will be modulated by several factors, including the precise location/orientation of the lee trough and bouts of upper level cloud cover assoc/w episodic shortwaves in SW flow aloft.

LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/

Issued at 213 AM MDT Sun Oct 18 2026

Starting on Wednesday and through Friday, the area is expected to be under an upper-level ridge that amplifies towards the northeast. As the ridge amplifies, a trough system to the southwest begins to move east putting us into southwesterly flow. With this setup, we would likely see temperatures remain above seasonal, starting in the 70s and building into the 80s on Friday. Winds are forecast to pick up from 5-10 mph to over 20 mph from the south. With the upper-level southwesterly flow, cloud cover is also expected to build over the area as mid- to upper-level moisture moves through.

During the weekend, the upper level pattern transitions into elongated zonal flow after the trough moves over the area Saturday morning. With this change in pattern, this should bring a cold front through the area creating a chances of showers into the area Saturday morning and ending Sunday morning. However with the chances of showers, it is unclear when the showers could occur as forecast guidance starts to show growing uncertainty on timing of the trough system. If the trough speeds up, this would lead the cold front to pass through Friday night and could showers to occur all throughout Saturday. If the trough slows down, we could expect the cold front to pass through Saturday afternoon and pushing the timing of showers overnight and ending midday Sunday. Once the cold front passes through, temperatures are forecast to be back in the 70s with a few lingering clouds over the area.

AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z MONDAY/

Issued at 1200 PM MDT Sun Oct 18 2026

VFR conditions and light (5-10 knot) southerly or variable winds will rule through the TAF period at both terminals, with cloud cover confined to cirrus above ~15,000 ft AGL.

GLD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

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