textproduct: North Platte

KEY MESSAGES

- Thunderstorm chances will continue the next couple of days with the most organized activity likely being Wednesday evening.

- Heat will build into the area this weekend into the first of next week. Highs over 100 degrees will be possible.

SHORT TERM /THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/

Issued at 128 PM CDT Mon Jul 6 2026

A weak frontal boundary and shortwave is crossing the Northern Plains this afternoon. The weak cold front is currently situated from near Phillip, SD to Scottsbluff. An area of mid-level cloudiness is noted along and ahead of the front from central south Dakota to northwest Nebraska. Near-term model guidance continues to suggest isolated to scattered thunderstorms developing late this afternoon near the frontal boundary across northwest Nebraska. These could pose a risk for a couple of near or perhaps severe gusts before dissipating this evening.

Tuesday looks similar to today. Moist southeast low-level flow should lead to late afternoon convection across the Panhandle. This will attempt to move eastward into the Sandhills region Wednesday evening. Some question as to how far east it will make it as overall shear will be quite weak. Regardless, locally strong winds and a few instances of hail will be possible with strongest cores.

Wednesday could see a bit more activity. A warm front will become situated across Kansas with a moist easterly low-level flow across our area. This will help aid in the overall shear. It appears that convection will again form across the Panhandle Thursday afternoon, and with the stronger shear and pockets of strong instability, appears to be potential of upscale growth and a forward propagating MCS across the area Thursday evening.

LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/

Issued at 128 PM CDT Mon Jul 6 2026

Heat will become a concern as we head into the weekend. Still some chance for rainfall Thursday, but by Friday upper level ridging will begin to build northward, with warming temperatures aloft increasing and winds decreasing. By the weekend, ensembles and operational models agree that a large upper level ridge will become centered across the central CONUS. This intensifies as we head into early next week. Model guidance suggests highs over 100 degrees will likely occur in places. This could be a rather long event 3-4+ days and have already started to highlight the potential heat coming.

AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z WEDNESDAY/

Issued at 642 PM CDT Mon Jul 6 2026

Showers and thunderstorms are expected to persist across northern Nebraska for the next few hours, with VFR conditions expected to persist. Any thunderstorm may create gusty and erratic winds, but are expected to remain generally higher based, leaving low end VFR ceilings at worst. Overnight, winds become light and variable, taking on a southerly direction by morning. Mid to late morning, expecting stronger southerly gusts across the region, with strongest gusts across the Sandhills and northern Nebraska.

LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

None.