textproduct: North Platte

KEY MESSAGES

- Elevated to near critical fire weather conditions are expected Friday due to a combination of mild, dry, and breezy conditions.

- Colder temperatures return Sunday into Monday. Low chances for light snow Sunday morning across the east, and low chances for light rain or light snow Monday into Monday night.

SHORT TERM /THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/

Issued at 130 PM CST Thu Feb 26 2026

A weak surface trough of low pressure will move into eastern Nebraska tonight, with a prevailing west wind to around 10 mph. With clear skies, lows will fall into the low 30s Friday morning. Humidity recovery tonight will be poor to around 50 percent.

Friday, winds will turn northwest behind a weak front. Highs are forecast to be 3 to 5 degrees warmer than today mainly in the mid to upper 60s, and used a blend of the NBM 50th percentile. Skies will continue to remain sunny. Low afternoon humidity and gusts to around 20 mph across portions of the area through early afternoon will bring elevated to near critical fire conditions. Further details found in the Fire Weather Section.

Friday night, an upper trough will be in place across the Northern Plains and Great Lakes Region. This will push a backdoor cold front into north central Nebraska after midnight. Lows will be colder from the low 20s north to upper 20s southwest.

LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/

Issued at 130 PM CST Thu Feb 26 2026

On Saturday, a backdoor cold front will bring modified arctic air into the region. Models differ on extend of the cold air, with the ECMWF slowest bringing in the colder air, while the GFS remains the coldest and most aggressive. The current forecast continues to show contrasting highs, from near 40 far northeast (Butte), to low 60s far southwest (Imperial).

Saturday night into Sunday, surface high pressure will remain over the region. Skies becoming cloudy Saturday night ahead of an H7 trough moving into the panhandle and eastern CO late. On Sunday, a chance for light snow, mainly across central and eastern Nebraska, especially southeast Nebraska. The NBM probability of an inch or more of snowfall has lessened considerably since yesterday, and is only 10 percent near and east of Broken Bow through O'Neill. The current forecast has a 20 to 30 percent chance of light snow near and east of Highway 83 for Sunday, mainly during the morning.

Unsettled weather continues Monday through Thursday as upper troughs across the western U.S. move into and approach the region. POPs are mainly 20 to 30 percent each day.Precipitation type rain, and/or snow Monday into Monday night, followed by rain Tuesday through Thursday. NBM probability of a tenth of an inch or more is highest Tuesday night into Wednesday, from 30 to 50 percent across southwest into central Nebraska. While precipitation is much needed across the area, the overall chances remain fairly low.

Highs Sunday expected to range from the mid 40s far western Sandhills, to low to mid 30s east. Monday low 40s to near 50 and 50s Tuesday and Wednesday. Slightly warmer Thursday from upper 50s to low 60s.

AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z FRIDAY/

Issued at 1122 AM CST Thu Feb 26 2026

VFR conditions the next 24 hours with mainly SKC. Northwest winds to 10kts at KLBF, while at KVTN, winds near 30015G23KT this afternoon until 23Z, then 10kts or less overnight into Friday morning.

FIRE WEATHER

Issued at 130 PM CST Thu Feb 26 2026

On Friday, with slightly drier air in place and warmer temperatures forecast across the forecast area, this will lead to minimum RH of 15 to 20 percent across most of the forecast area by afternoon. The surface pressure gradient will be weak, with northwest winds stronger late morning through early afternoon, then diminishing. Gusts to around 20 mph, and locally to 25 mph are possible through early afternoon across the southeast panhandle and far southwest and also eastern portions of north central Nebraska, where near critical fire conditions will exist.

With winds diminishing mid to late afternoon, an overlap of wind gusts and lowest humidity is not expected. Therefore, no fire weather headlines are expected.

By Saturday, a backdoor cold front will bring cooler temperatures and a northeast wind 10 to 15 mph. Afternoon humidity will improve to 25 to 40 percent, except in the far southwest (Imperial), where humidity may fall to near 20 percent.

Much cooler temperatures will develop and persist Sunday into Monday. By Tuesday night into Wednesday, low level moisture will increase across the forecast area in advance of an upper level trough of low pressure. This will bring increased chances for precipitation across the area during the middle of next week.

LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

None.