textproduct: North Platte

KEY MESSAGES

- Accumulating snow, and mixed precipitation, including light freezing rain will remain a threat for the remainder of today into tonight.

- Above normal temperatures expected Sunday and into early next week, bringing the return of fire weather concerns.

SHORT TERM /THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/

Issued at 253 PM CST Fri Mar 6 2026

Light to moderate snow continues across the northwest Sandhills within an area of frontogenesis in the H7 to H5 layer. The location is west of Lisco through Merriman, an will persist through this afternoon. Snowfall amounts through early evening from 1 to 3 inches remains possible across the northwest Sandhills through early evening, before this area of frontogenesis ends. Northwest winds 20 to 30 mph with gust to 40 mph this afternoon and early evening may cause patchy blowing snow as well.

Another area of frontogenesis is underway across northeast Colorado, aided by a closed H5 low centered near Denver at 21Z which becomes open across northeast Colorado and the Nebraska Panhandle by 00Z. The H7 trough will remain positively tilted late this afternoon and evening. This will bring a new area of frontogenesis with snow developing from far northeast Colorado into Deuel and Garden County by late afternoon. During the evening, a fairly narrow band of light to moderate snow to around 30 miles wide is forecast to extend from Big Springs through Ainsworth, with a secondary band possible slightly further east, from North Platte through Brewster. The latest mesoscale models have shifted the 1 to 2 mesoscale bands slightly further south and east. Snowfall amounts as high as 1 to 3 inches remain possible. An additional threat for mixed precipitation, including light freezing rain across the eastern half of north central Nebraska this afternoon and evening. Ice accumulations will mostly be a light glaze with up to a tenth of an inch locally. With the threat for up to 2 inches of snow and northerly winds 20 to 35 mph, a Winter Weather Advisory now includes the eastern half of north central Nebraska. The snow will quickly end after midnight as frontogenesis comes to an end.

On Saturday, much warmer air will return on the backside of the H5 trough axis. Winds will become westerly 15 to 25 mph across the west and 10 to 20 mph across the east. Highs return to the low to mid 50s with sunny skies. Lows Saturday night forecast to fall to 30 to 35 degrees as a westerly breezy continues beneath mainly clear skies.

LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/

Issued at 253 PM CST Fri Mar 6 2026

Warmer, above average temperatures has been a common theme this year and it returns once again late this weekend and into next week. The upper-level ridge will flatten out and zonal flow builds back in late this weekend, remaining for much of next week. The result of this mid-level westerly flow will largely keep precipitation chances to a minimum. With the aid of a shortwave passing through to the north of our region Tuesday evening through Wednesday, there does still remain a slight chance of light precipitation chances across central NE with NBM probabilities of >0.01" climbing up to just less than 50% by Wednesday evening, but confidence at this time remains low for any accumulations.

The biggest concern over the next week will be fire weather. As mentioned above, warmer temperatures are returning to our region. With the exception of Tuesday and Wednesday, where highs will be slightly cooler with highs in the mid low 50s to low 60s, highs will be averaging in the mid 60s to low 70s. Keying in on Monday especially, looks to be the warmest of the week with 850 mb temps in mid teens, allowing warm surface highs to potentially peak into the mid to upper 70s for southwest NE. Combine this with humidities in the upper teens to low 20s through much of the week, will make for elevated to near-critical fire concerns. Any fire weather headlines will largely be dependent on whether gusty winds will develop and overlay with these warm, dry conditions.

AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SATURDAY/

Issued at 1156 AM CST Fri Mar 6 2026

Low stratus will overspread all area terminals this afternoon into this evening, with widespread MVFR/IFR CIGs expected. Snow will persist across the western Sandhills this afternoon, with light freezing rain across eastern portions of north central Nebraska this afternoon including KANW and KONL. Periods of MVFR/IFR visibilities as well.

Winds remain strong from the north this afternoon and evening, with gusts of 25 to 35kts expected for all terminals. Winds gradually weaken overnight, becoming northwest at 10 to 15kts. with ceilings improving to VFR from west to east after 06Z.

LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

Winter Weather Advisory until noon CST /11 AM MST/ Saturday for NEZ004>010-022>029-035-036-056-057-094.