textproduct: North Platte

KEY MESSAGES

- Cooler temperatures are expected today and Thursday, with highs mainly in the 40s and 50s. A few light showers are remain possible across north-central Nebraska through the evening.

- Cold temperatures are expected Thursday night into Friday morning, with lows falling into the lower to middle 20s across much of the area.

- A warming trend begins this weekend and continues into next week, with highs reaching the 60s and possibly upper 60s. Mainly dry conditions are expected through the period.

SHORT TERM /THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/

Issued at 120 PM CST Wed Nov 4 2026

Currently, two closed upper-level lows are located across the CONUS, with one across the Midwest and another across the Desert Southwest. The closed low across the Midwest is fairly vertically stacked, suggesting additional weakening as the system gradually becomes absorbed into the mean flow. However, cold air advection (CAA) remains prominent across much of the region, with northwesterly flow aloft continuing behind the system. An embedded shortwave west of the main upper-level low, associated with increasing cyclonic vorticity advection, is providing sufficient lift for scattered showers across the northeastern portions of the forecast area, particularly Boyd and Holt counties, with some activity potentially extending as far west as Valentine. These showers should remain light given the limited moisture available, as indicated by BUFKIT forecast soundings. Northwest winds will remain gusty across the area today, with gusts up to 30 mph possible, especially across northern and northeastern Nebraska where the surface pressure gradient remains strongest closer to the low pressure system over southwestern Minnesota. High temperatures will vary considerably across the area, with middle 40s expected across north-central Nebraska where lingering cloud cover and shower activity should limit daytime warming. These temperatures would be around 5 to 7 degrees below normal for early November. Farther south and west, highs should reach the lower to middle 50s where greater clearing is expected. Overnight lows should generally fall into the lower to middle 30s, with increasing cloud cover associated with the southern- stream system across the Desert Southwest potentially limiting radiational cooling.

Thursday, the upper-level low across the Midwest will continue to weaken and gradually become absorbed into the mean flow. Meanwhile, the southern-stream trough across the Desert Southwest will progress eastward south of the forecast area, keeping the better precipitation chances across Kansas where the stronger forcing for ascent will reside. Northerly winds will continue through the day, though 850-mb temperatures in the 6 to 10C range, combined with clearing skies, should allow highs to reach the middle to upper 50s across western and southwestern Nebraska. Farther northeast, persistent cloud cover should limit daytime warming, with highs generally in the upper 40s. Thursday night into Friday morning, temperatures are expected to fall considerably as continued cold air advection, clearing skies, and weakening winds support more efficient radiational cooling. Overnight lows should fall into the lower to middle 20s across much of the area.

Friday, mid to upper-level ridging will begin building across the region, resulting in increasing subsidence and generally dry conditions. However, increasing moisture aloft associated with the southern-stream system may support scattered cloud cover, particularly during the afternoon hours. Highs Friday should remain in the lower to middle 50s across the area, which is near normal for early November.

LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/

Issued at 120 PM CST Wed Nov 4 2026

Saturday through Sunday, an amplified upper-level ridge will become established across the northern United States, with southern-stream disturbances continuing to track across the southern CONUS beneath the ridge. This split-flow pattern will favor generally dry conditions across western and north-central Nebraska, as the stronger forcing for ascent remains displaced north and south of the region. Increasing subsidence beneath the ridge, along with warmer temperatures within the lower to middle levels, should support a warming trend through the weekend. With 850-mb temperatures increasing into the 10 to 13C range, afternoon highs should reach the lower to middle 60s both Saturday and Sunday, which is above normal for early November.

Early into the middle of next week, upper-level ridging is expected to remain persistent across the northern tier of the United States, maintaining generally dry and warmer-than-normal conditions across the region. With anomalously warm temperatures remaining in the lower to middle levels, highs should continue to reach the lower to middle 60s, with upper 60s possible in some locations depending on cloud cover and boundary-layer mixing. These temperatures would be well above normal for this time of year.

The broader upper-level pattern will continue to favor split flow across North America, with disturbances generally tracking north and south of the ridge. This should limit precipitation chances across the forecast area through much of the period. Additionally, the persistent troughing near the Aleutians and Gulf of Alaska may continue to favor the transport of relatively mild Pacific air into portions of the CONUS. While brief periods of cooler temperatures remain possible, the current pattern does not favor a significant southward intrusion of colder air into the central Plains through the middle of next week.

AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z FRIDAY/

Issued at 531 PM CST Wed Nov 4 2026

VFR conditions will continue over the next 24 hours across all of western and north central Nebraska, including both KVTN and KLBF terminals. Winds will be out of the north northwest over the next 24 hours with winds around 5 to 15 kts and gusts up to 20 kts, the strongest winds will be across northern Sandhills and north central Nebraska with winds remaining breezy through the overnight hours into Thursday morning for those areas. Mostly high clouds will be expected over the next 24 hours.

LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

None.