textproduct: North Platte

KEY MESSAGES

- Lingering wintry precipitation quickly ends by this evening, with dry conditions then persisting through tomorrow and early next week.

- Temperatures slowly moderate on Sunday, with a quick return of above average temperatures (highs in the 50s to 60s) for Monday through Wednesday.

- A quick moving system impacts the area Wednesday into Thursday, with light precipitation possible across northern Nebraska. This also brings cooler highs Thursday, before mild temps quickly return Friday.

SHORT TERM /THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/

Issued at 315 PM CST Sat Dec 13 2025

Currently, strong surface high pressure is spilling south through the Dakotas, leading to slowly clearing skies from north to south across the area. This high is also bringing drier air southward, also ending any lingering wintry precipitation with its approach. By late this afternoon, all precipitation is expected to have ended across central and southwest Nebraska. Still, very cold temperatures remain in place and hazardous travel conditions could persist into tonight.

For tonight, expect skies to continue to clear as aforementioned strong surface high pressure moves into far eastern Nebraska and western Iowa. This positions western and north central Nebraska on the backside of this high, and in an area of returning southerly flow. The increasing warm advection will keep lows from bottoming out as low as areas further east, generally in the single digits to low teens across southwest Nebraska to a few degrees below zero in north central Nebraska. The combination of these temperatures and the south breeze will lead to cold wind chills overnight, falling below zero for all areas and as low as 10 to 15 below across north central Nebraska.

Increasing moisture advection may lead to increasing stratus and patchy fog across portions of western Nebraska as well. This remains low confidence, though could lead to isolated slick spots again Sunday morning across the western Sandhills and eastern Panhandle.

By tomorrow afternoon, a weak surface low will move east across the Dakotas, dragging a surface trough into the western Sandhills. Behind this boundary, returning westerly downslope flow will boost highs back into the upper 40s to near 50 degrees. Further east, one more cold day is in store, with highs in the upper 20s to 30s along and east of HWY 83.

LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/

Issued at 315 PM CST Sat Dec 13 2025

Westerly low-level flow establishes across the entirety of western and north central Nebraska by Monday, bringing a quick return of mild temperatures to the entire area. Most areas return to the 50s on Monday, with all areas in the 50s to low 60s on Tuesday and Wednesday amid the persistent warm advection. This could bring increasing fire weather concerns, especially both Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon. The strongest winds are expected Wednesday, as west wind gusts as high as 35 to 45 miles per hour are possible. This is in response to rapidly deepening surface low pressure, as a strong clipper system begin to eject southeast along the International Border by Thursday morning.

As this strong surface low ejects east, an associated cold front will move quickly across the area prior to sunrise Thursday. As this front crosses the area, scattered rain or snow showers are possible across portions of the Sandhills and northern Nebraska. At this time, little to no impact is expected from this precipitation, due to the fast movement and only marginally favorable thermodynamic profiles for all snow. The passage of this system brings a brief cooldown into the upper 30s to 40s, before mild temperatures quickly return yet again for Friday and into next weekend.

AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z MONDAY/

Issued at 1122 PM CST Sat Dec 13 2025

For the KLBF terminal: There will be a threat for MVFR ceilings overnight, mainly west of a KLBF to KGRN line. Some of these lower ceilings will eventually impact the KLBF terminal after 07z Sunday. This threat will continue into mid morning Sunday. Beyond mid morning Sunday, a few high clouds at 25000 FT AGL are possible. For the KVTN terminal: Expect mainly clear skies over the next 24 hours with a few high clouds around 25000 FT AGL. Winds across western and north central Nebraska will be light and variable overnight tonight, becoming south by mid morning Sunday. Wind speeds will be between 15 to 25 KTS across the area through late afternoon Sunday, diminishing to under 15 KTS Sunday evening.

LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

None.