textproduct: North Platte

KEY MESSAGES

- Patchy fog and light drizzle today into tonight, mainly across southwest Nebraska into eastern areas, along with a chance for showers.

- After a dry start on Sunday, precipitation chances increase Sunday night through Tuesday evening. At this time, precipitation is expected to remain rain.

- Cooler, dryer conditions return after a cold front tracks through the region. Mid to late week, temperatures are expected to drop into the low 50s to upper 40s, with little to no precipitation expected.

SHORT TERM /THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/

Issued at 247 AM CDT Fri Oct 30 2026

Today and Tonight...A weak warm front will slowly lift through southern Nebraska today. Patchy fog, and light drizzle is expected north of the warm front across southwest and central Nebraska today, along with a chance for light rain showers near and west of highway 83. Some elevated instability will support a slight chance for thunderstorms in central NE in the afternoon. Highs 55 to 60. A shortwave trough will lift north from the Texas panhandle/western OK into southern KS today, and from northern KS into central and eastern NE Friday night. This will bring lows chances for showers (20-30 percent)to areas mainly east of Highway 83 overnight. Rainfall amounts look to be fairly light today and tonight, only from a trace up to a tenth of an inch.

Saturday and Saturday night...A second shortwave trough will lift northeast from Kansas into eastern Nebraska. While stratus with patchy fog and drizzle will again be possible, additional low chances for showers will also exist for southeastern areas through Saturday night (generally east of a line from Imperial through O'Neill). Highs Saturday will range in the mid to upper 50s, except low 60s far northern Nebraska. South winds will be breezy at 15 to 25 mph. Lows Saturday night in the mid to upper 40s.

LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/

Issued at 247 AM CDT Fri Oct 30 2026

Sunday, an upper level trough is expected to track across the western United States, bringing another stream of Pacific moisture across the region. Throughout the day, a low pressure system is expected to develop and deepen across eastern Colorado. With the moisture streaming into the region, expecting cloud cover to persist throughout the day, which will limit high temperatures mostly to the upper 50s to lower 60s. While the low develops throughout the day, not expecting much in the way of precipitation, but may see some gusty southerly winds as the low deepens. However, by the evening, expecting that the low will begin to lift, bringing precipitation chances across the region. The low is expected to slowly track across the region, keeping rain showers around on throughout the day Monday, with highs again in the 50s to lower 60s. As a shortwave develops in the northern jet stream, expecting another low pressure to track east across the Dakotas, which will bring a cold front into the region. There is still some slight timing differences in models, but appears that the front should track through sometime Tuesday morning. As the front tracks through, this should give one more shot of precipitation across the region, with cooler temperatures settling in. As of now, temperatures are expected to remain just above freezing, and appears that any precipitation falling should remain liquid precipitation. Showers may linger through the day on Tuesday, especially areas east of Highway 83. However, by Tuesday evening, expecting that precipitation should track out of the region.

Through the rest of the week, cooler air remains in the wake of the cold front. Highs should drop back into the lower 50s, and potentially into the upper 40s by the end of the week. Lows are also expected to drop back around freezing each night. This is not too out of the ordinary for early November. In fact, local climatology shows that our typical highs are in the mid to upper 50s, with lows in the mid 20s across the region for early November. Precipitation chances also appear low Wednesday through late week, but will be keeping an eye on a potential upper level disturbance next weekend, which may bring additional precipitation chances.

AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z SATURDAY/

Issued at 641 AM CDT Fri Oct 30 2026

A low stratus deck remains across most of western and north central Nebraska, bringing widespread MVFR to IFR conditions. Patchy fog has developed across southwest Nebraska, and combined with the low ceilings has introduced LIFR conditions, including the KLBF terminal. While the fog is expected to eventually dissipate by late morning, stratus is expected to remain throughout the entire TAF period, keeping mostly IFR conditions through the day and LIFR conditions this evening and overnight. While there may be some occasional breaks to MVFR conditions, expect the low ceilings will prevail most of the day and overnight. Overnight, additional fog development is possible, which may bring impacts across the region.

LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

None.