textproduct: North Platte

KEY MESSAGES

- Moderate confidence in stronger wind gusts up to 40 mph this afternoon and early evening.

- Dry conditions remain likely Sunday night through Friday across all of western and north central Nebraska.

- Temperatures Monday through Friday will be above normal with daily highs mainly in the 70s to lower 80s.

SHORT TERM /THROUGH SUNDAY/

Issued at 336 AM CDT Sat Oct 3 2026

High pressure will slowly slide off to the east today as a weak upper level trough pushes through the High Plains. While this trough will not bring any precipitation, it will bring some gusty winds through this afternoon. Winds will shift from the south to the north as the trough tracks through with gusts up to 35 to 40 mph behind the trough. These stronger gusts will continue through early evening before diminishing around sunset. High pressure will build back into the region tonight lasting through Sunday keeping dry conditions in place.

For temperatures, warm air advection ahead of the trough today will keep highs on the milder side of guidance. Expect afternoon temperatures to rise into the mid 70s to low 80s. A cooler airmass will push in behind the departing trough on Saturday night. This will result in some more seasonable temperatures for both Saturday night and Sunday. Overnight lows will drop into the low to mid 40s across the region with highs on Sunday rising only into the upper 60s to low 70s.

Regarding temperatures, there is some concerns that temperatures may overachieve today as it is a similar setup to Friday, which overachieved by a few degrees. Went ahead and bumped highs up today a few degrees, but these still may be too low. And on the flip side for Saturday night, as the colder air pushes in. There is some guidance that suggests some lows dropping into the upper 30s (even into the mid 30s). Confidence remains too low at this time to drop temperatures tonight any lower than what's in the forecast, but it is something to be aware of heading into the next forecast cycle.

LONG TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY/

Issued at 336 AM CDT Sat Oct 3 2026

For the better part of next week, ridging will persist across the southwestern CONUS, while a persistent trough of low pressure remains over eastern Canada into the eastern Great Lakes and New England. Broad, dry northwesterly flow will persist across the central plains through the end of next week. Little to no precipitation is expected in the long term and the latest NBM ensemble forecast has a near zero chance of measurable precipitation Sunday night through Friday. As for temperatures, a broad thermal ridge will persist over the Intermountain West, central and southern plains next week. This will lead to daily highs in the 70s and lower 80s, some 10 to 15 degrees above normal for this time of year. Tuesday appears to be the warmest day of the week with readings approaching the middle 80s over southwestern Nebraska. ATTM, spread in the NBM high temperature ensembles remains quite low next week and feel confident in the temperature forecast next week. Beyond Friday into next weekend, ridging begins to break down, placing the central plains in westerly and west-southwesterly flow aloft. With an active northern stream, we may see an uptick in precipitation chances next weekend. However, based on decent differences between the deterministic EC and GFS solns next weekend, forecast confidence with respect to precipitation chances remains low ATTM.

AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z SUNDAY/

Issued at 1200 AM CDT Sat Oct 3 2026

Skies will be mostly clear over the next 24 hours across western and north central Nebraska. A few high clouds around 25000 FT AGL are possible. Winds will shift around to the west, then northwest, then north today. Some northerly wind gusts up to 25 KTS are possible this afternoon with winds diminishing to around 10 KTS this evening.

LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

None.