textproduct: North Platte

KEY MESSAGES

- Much warmer on Sunday with highs from near 70 to lower 70s. The combination of well above average temperatures, gusty westerly winds, and low relative humidity will bring a return of elevated to near critical fire weather concerns.

- Highs to reach the 70s on Monday, with fire weather concern remaining across the area. - A chance for light rain or light snow Tuesday afternoon into Tuesday night. At this time, any accumulations are expected to remain light.

SHORT TERM /THROUGH MONDAY/

Issued at 145 PM CST Sat Mar 7 2026

Westerly winds of 5 to 15 mph will persist into tonight, helping keep the boundary layer mixed, with lows from the upper 20s to mid 30s.

Sunday, the upper flow will become zonal with a surface trough from the Dakotas into eastern Colorado. Westerly winds will be stronger, at 15 to 25 mph with gusts to 35 mph across the western Sandhills and north central Nebraska. Much warmer, from near 70 to the low 70s. Afternoon humidity will fall to as low as the upper teens to lower 20s. This will bring near critical fire weather conditions to the western Sandhills, with elevated conditions across the remainder of the area.

Sunday night, westerly winds of 5 to 15 mph will persist, helping keep the boundary layer mixed, with lows from 35 to 40. Humidity recovery overnight from 60 to 65 percent.

LONG TERM /MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/

Issued at 145 PM CST Sat Mar 7 2026

Zonal flow aloft will remain across the northern half of the U.S. as a shortwave trough moves into the Pacific Northwest. A backdoor cold front will push through much of South Dakota, with much warmer air to the south across Nebraska. With H85 temperatures from 12-19C, and a downsloping westerly wind, highs to reach the low to mid 70s, with upper 70s possible south of I80. The strongest winds with gusts to 35 mph will be across the western Sandhills, where humidity as low as 15 percent will combine with gusty winds to create near critical fire conditions. Elevated fire conditions expected across the remainder of the area.

A cold front is forecast to move into north central Nebraska Monday night, and through the remainder of the area on Tuesday. Highs will be cooler from 50 to 55 north, to the low to mid 60s south. An upper trough will move into eastern MT and eastern WY during the afternoon. This will bring low chances for rain showers to the northwest Sandhills by afternoon.

Light precipitation in the form of rain or snow Tuesday night. Although POPS remain fairly high at 40 to 50 percent, probabilities of >0.10" are from 30 to 40 percent across the northwest Sandhills, while 20 percent or less elsewhere. At this time, this points to a threat for light precipitation amounts, and any impacts look limited to just the northwest Sandhills, should any light snow develop.

Cooler Wednesday from the upper 40s to lower 50s, with a brief, strong warmup into the 70s Thursday. Another frontal passage late week, with 50s to mid 60s Friday into Saturday. Slight chances for precipitation Friday into Saturday, mainly across the north central.

AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z MONDAY/

Issued at 559 PM CST Sat Mar 7 2026

VFR conditions are expected through the forecast period.

Steady west winds will become more northwesterly with modest LLWS concerns at both terminals. Outside of passing mid-level clouds, skies should remain clear to mostly clear with renewing west-southwesterly gusty winds during the day Sunday.

LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

None.