textproduct: North Platte

KEY MESSAGES

- Well above normal temperatures this weekend with highs in the upper 80s to low 90s.

- Elevated to near-critical fire weather concerns for Saturday across western Nebraska.

- Cooler temperatures next week and increasing chances for precipitation by middle of the week

SHORT TERM /THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/

Issued at 353 PM CDT Fri Oct 9 2026

Southwest flow continues into Saturday as the upper level ridge continues to push eastward. WAA will spread across western Nebraska and temperatures will once again push well above normal for this time of year with highs reaching the upper 80s to low 90s. 850 temps will be around 25 degrees are higher and with deep layer mixing bring the warmer temperatures will reach the 90s across western and southwest Nebraska. Although temperatures will be hot and will see dry conditions with min RH around 15 to 25 percent generally from HWY 83 west, winds should remain lighter. Winds in the mid levels will only be around 25 kts across western Nebraska and even with deep mixing do not expect any stronger winds, thus do not expect the need for any fire headlines Saturday, but will see elevated to near-critical fire weather concerns. The area where near- critical fire weather concerns exist will generally be western fire weather zone 204, generally west of a line from Valentine to Oshkosh.

LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/

Issued at 353 PM CDT Fri Oct 9 2026

A weak cold front will come move southward from the northern Plains into northwest Sandhills by Sunday morning. Despite the advancing cold front will still see temperatures above normal on Sunday, with the warmest temperatures across southwest Nebraska where the front will be slower to advance through, highs will reach the upper 80s. Across northern Nebraska temperatures will only reach the low to mid 70s as the front will pass through before peak heating. The front stalls out Monday, keeping one more day 80s across far southwest Nebraska. As far as overnight lows on Sunday night and Monday night, not expecting at this time to see any need for any frost/freeze headlines, although overnight temps do cool considerably by Monday night, with temperatures in the low 40s, increased cloudiness overnight will likely keep temperatures in the low 40s or possibly see an increasing trend of overnight lows as cloud coverage looks to be expanding with latest model guidance due to some influence of tropical moisture from southwest.

From mid-week til the end of the long term period, will see a cooler air mass settle in to the region and temperatures will cool to near normal with highs in the 60s to low 70s. There will also be chances for precipitation with increase moisture and weak disturbances on Tuesday night through early Thursday.

AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z SUNDAY/

Issued at 625 PM CDT Fri Oct 9 2026

VFR conditions are expected to prevail through tomorrow evening across western and north central Nebraska. An increasing southwesterly low level jet overnight will promote southerly LLWS for all terminals near and east of HWY 83 through early tomorrow morning.

Winds remain gusty from the south tonight for all terminals and tomorrow east of HWY 83, with widespread gusts of 25 to 35kts expected.

LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

None.