textproduct: North Platte

KEY MESSAGES

- Critical fire weather conditions persist through tomorrow morning, before a cold front passes through the area and brings strong north winds and cooler temperatures.

- Cooler temperatures briefly return for Friday, before above average highs quickly return for the weekend and early next week. This could bring a return of fire weather concerns.

- A pattern shift into the middle of next week could bring a return of precipitation to the area, though confidence in this remains low for now.

SHORT TERM /THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/

Issued at 325 PM CDT Wed Mar 25 2026

Currently, temperatures have soared into the upper 80s across southwest Nebraska, with lower 80s observed further northeast. This has broken record highs at Broken Bow, Imperial, and North Platte. Unfortunately, this is combining with very dry air and gusty west- northwest winds and is promoting widespread critical fire weather concerns.

For this evening and tonight, expect the gusty west-northwest winds to continue to through sunset, along with very low humidity. Limited humidity recovery is then expected tonight, only as high as 50 to 55 percent across much of western and southwest Nebraska. Though a brief reprieve in winds is expected early tonight, attention then turns to a threat for high based showers across portions of the eastern Panhandle and Sandhills. Confidence in isolated dry lightning remains very low, though still cannot be totally ruled out given at least meager instability in place aloft. The greater threat will be locally gusty, erratic winds, with a very dry sub-cloud layer in the lowest few kilometers. Will also have to watch for a threat for a strengthening low level jet to be mixed downwards overnight, which could provide a continued period of gusty winds across the area. Confidence in this remains low for now, but would be impactful given the very poor humidity recovery.

By tomorrow morning, a cold front will push through the area bringing a wind shift from west to north, along with increasing cold advection. Northerly gusts of 30 to 40 miles per hour remains possible with frontal passage, and winds will be slow to weaken into tomorrow afternoon. The cooler temperatures will keep humidity values higher tomorrow afternoon, generally above 30 percent. This will limit fire concerns somewhat, despite the continued gusty north winds. Skies begin to clear by late tomorrow night, and surface high pressure begins to spill south into the area. This will allow temperatures to cool into the 20s for Friday morning.

LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/

Issued at 325 PM CDT Wed Mar 25 2026

The area remains under the influence of the surface high on Friday, with a much cooler airmass in place. This will keep highs in the 50s, and when combined with weaker winds will lead to a brief reprieve from the fire weather concerns.

Upper ridging then begins to amplify across the western CONUS as we head into the weekend, leading to temperatures quickly moderating back to above average across western and north central Nebraska. Saturday looks concerning with again an overlap of warm highs, very low humidity, and gusty winds. Sunday looks to be even warmer than Saturday, with again a threat for gusty winds. It appears critical fire weather concerns may return across the area this weekend and into early next week.

Attention then turns to a pattern shift, which is expected by middle to late next week. Confidence remains low for now, though this looks to at least bring some threat for precipitation across the area as troughing finally establishes across the western US. With the worsening drought conditions across the area, this will continue to be monitored very closely.

AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z FRIDAY/

Issued at 608 PM CDT Wed Mar 25 2026

Low-level wind shear will be of concern across parts of southwest into central Nebraska overnight. Otherwise a cold front will surge southward through the area Thursday, with gusty north to northeast winds developing behind the front. An area of lower clouds will move into north central Nebraska by mid- afternoon. At this time, ceilings are expected to remain above MVFR.

LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

Red Flag Warning until 11 AM CDT /10 AM MDT/ Thursday for NEZ204-206-208>210-219.