textproduct: North Platte

KEY MESSAGES

- Dry and mild conditions continue through much of the upcoming week with highs warming into the upper 70s Thursday and Friday.

- A cold front moves through the area Friday night into Saturday, bringing some chance for showers and a few thunderstorms. Slightly cooler highs in the 60s for Saturday and Sunday.

SHORT TERM /THROUGH TUESDAY/

Issued at 141 PM CDT Sun Oct 18 2026

Tonight...A weak surface trough will extend from southwest NE into eastern portions of north central NE. Surface winds will remain light and variable with an increase in mid and high cloudiness. Lows 35 to 40.

Monday...Southwest flow aloft across the region, with a disturbance moving into the Four Corners Region. Mixing across the area will be very limited, as winds remain light and variable, becoming light southeast late afternoon. Mainly sunny with highs in the 60s.

Monday night into Tuesday...The disturbance over the Four Corners will weaken, influenced by split flow aloft across CO into NE. The HREF shows low probabilities for stratus to develop late Monday night into Tuesday morning across southwest and central NE. Lows Monday night mainly in the low 40s. Surface low pressure deepening along the Front Range will bring an increased surface pressure gradient with southerly winds increasing to 10 to 20 mph in the afternoon. Highs Tuesday warmer from the upper 60s to lower 70s.

LONG TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/

Issued at 141 PM CDT Sun Oct 18 2026

Wednesday and Thursday...Upper ridging will strengthen across the Central U.S. as troughing will persist across the western U.S. with a closed low of the coast of central California on Wednesday moving inland Thursday. Highs warm into the 70s Wednesday and Thursday.

Thursday night through Friday...The lead shortwave trough within the main western U.S. upper trough is forecast to fill and lift into the Northern Plains. This will drive a cold front into the area Friday night. Will see an increase in moisture ahead of the front, with dewpoints in the 50s Thursday and Friday. Southerly winds will also increase to 15 to 25 mph across the west on Thursday, and windy Friday area wide, at 20 to 30 mph with gusts to 40 mph.

Could see a few showers in advance of the system Thursday night into Friday, with increased chances for showers and a few thunderstorms Friday night into Saturday as the main upper trough lifts through the region and interacts with the front. Highs warm into the upper 70s Thursday and Friday, cooling into the upper 50s to upper 60s Saturday and mid 60s Sunday.

AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z MONDAY/

Issued at 1227 PM CDT Sun Oct 18 2026

VFR conditions are expected to prevail through 18Z Monday across western and north central Nebraska. Winds will remain light below 10KT at the KLBF and KVTN terminal.

LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

None.