textproduct: North Platte

KEY MESSAGES

- One more day of heat is expected, with heat index values climbing between 100 to 105 across the entire region today. A cold front this evening may finally bring some relief from the heat wave.

- Showers and thunderstorms are expected with the cold front this evening. Any thunderstorm will have the potential for strong, gusty winds.

- Slightly cooler temperatures Tuesday through the end of the week

- Isolated to scattered thunderstorm chances Tuesday through Thursday

SHORT TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/

Issued at 152 AM CDT Mon Jul 27 2026

Another round of heat is in store for western and north central Nebraska today, though temperatures are not expected to get as hot as yesterday. Lows overnight remain warm, with lows only dropping into the lower to mid 70s. With these warm overnight lows tonight, will keep the Extreme Heat Warning going through the morning, especially where lows remain around 75 degrees providing little overnight relief. The warm period overnight will help set the stage for another warm day.

Though upper level ridging persists across the region, an upper level shortwave is expected to track through the flow. This will provide support to push a weak cold front across western Nebraska in the late afternoon hours, which may finally bring some relief from the heat by the evening. For what it's worth, latest guidance shows little cooling during the daytime hours, with the majority of the relief coming overnight and mainly across western Nebraska. Ahead of this cold front, though, temperatures are still going to get quite warm. Highs again climb into the upper 90s to lower 100s, with heat index values climbing around 100 to 105 degrees. Temperatures are generally expected to remain cooler across western and northern Nebraska, largely driven by the arriving front and increasing cloud cover throughout the day. One notable change is a slight increase in dewpoints further to the east, which will keep higher heat index values around. With this in mind, have expanded the Heat Advisory back across the entire region through the evening hours. Though the cold front shows a weak thermal gradient, as it tracks through the region, it should eventually drop temperatures below Advisory conditions, so plan to expire the Advisory on time in the evening.

The cold front will provide a focus for potential showers and thunderstorms late afternoon into evening hours, though. Forecast soundings again suggest building of instability aloft and dry low layers in the environment. This will support high based convection and any storms will have the potential for strong, gusty winds. However, given the moisture aloft, storms may also provide a decent chance for precipitation, especially during the overnight hours.

LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/

Issued at 152 AM CDT Mon Jul 27 2026

A weak cold front passage Monday night into Tuesday will bring a reprieve to the dangerously hot temperatures. Although temperatures will still be hot, temperatures will be around 5 to 10 degrees cooler than Monday's high temperatures, with sfc temps in the low 90s. Dewpoints will also be slightly cooler as well, keeping heat indicies below any heat headline criteria. The "cooler" temperatures will continue through the week as the upper level ridging becomes focused over the western CONUS, keeping the High Plains in a northwest flow. Friday and Saturday will be the "coolest" days of the long term forecast with highs moderating back into the upper 80s across portions of north central Nebraska into central Nebraska.

There will also be a series of weak disturbances that move through the area Tuesday through Thursday, bringing daily chances for isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms. Conditions will be limited and coverage of storm development will generally remain more isolated to scattered with no organized, widespread storm development expected. As for fire weather concerns this week, they will remain low despite the warmer temperatures as low level moisture will keep min RH values around 30 percent or greater.

AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z TUESDAY/

Issued at 639 AM CDT Mon Jul 27 2026

Mostly VFR conditions to persist over the next 24 hours. Winds will be breezy in the morning out of the east northeast around 10 kts with gusts up to 20 kts. There is a chance for isolated thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening, however at this time confidence in the location of storm development impacting either of the forecast terminal sites remains uncertain, but have added a mention into KLBF terminals taf.

LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

Heat Advisory until 10 PM CDT /9 PM MDT/ this evening for NEZ004-022>024-035-036-056>058-069-070-094. Extreme Heat Warning until 7 AM CDT this morning for NEZ005>010-025>029-037-038-059-071. Heat Advisory until 10 PM CDT this evening for NEZ005>010- 025>029-037-038-059-071.