textproduct: North Platte

KEY MESSAGES

- Chance of thunderstorms late this evening into the overnight, some might be strong to severe

- Red Flag Warning through this evening for far western Nebraska

- Gusty winds continue on Thursday with cooler temperatures

- Brief warm-up Friday, cooler into the weekend with some precipitation chances

SHORT TERM /THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/

Issued at 334 PM CDT Wed Jun 10 2026

The main concern in the short term is the fire weather concern this afternoon and storm development late this evening into the overnight. Across western Nebraska drier conditions will exist, generally west of HWY 61, where dew points are in the 30s leading to min RH around 10 to 15 percent. Winds will also remain breezy out of the west around 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 40 mph. Looking at local observations from rainfall yesterday into the overnight, although there were scattered storms across western Nebraska, the rainfall amounts were low. Given the lower rainfall amounts across western Nebraska, the low RH and the gusty winds this afternoon, a decision was made to issue a Red Flag warning for this afternoon into the early evening for fire weather zone 204.

As far as thunderstorm development late this evening into the overnight, confidence remains low in just how much convection will develop this evening. The 18z sounding showed marginal elevated CAPE with drier air at the sfc, decreasing confidence in evening development. Still do expect a LLJ to develop tonight and interact with a frontal boundary, however the frontal boundary may push further south of the area than expected, lowering confidence in storm development across the CWA. However there still remains some potential for some elevated development as the instability increases. Although think the threat for strong/severe potential will be relatively low, still can't rule out a potential for a supercell to develop, but latest trends have continued pushing that threat eastward, with just a marginal threat for elevated thunderstorms to develop. If a thunderstorms were to develop with the strengthening LLJ given the latest sounding, the dry air near the sfc and the weak elevated CAPE will likely confine the hazard to mainly a strong wind potential, although there is a remote chance of hail as a secondary threat.

For Thursday, much cooler temperatures expected with CAA behind the cold front. Drier conditions are also expected, although there could be some early morning thunderstorms, beyond the morning hours a mostly dry day is expected with dew points in the 30s to 40s. High temperatures will be cooler with highs only in the low to mid 70s across much of the forecast area. Winds will remain gusty behind the cold front out of the northwest around 15 to 25 mph sustained with gusts of 35 mph or greater possible, with the strongest winds across the western and northwest Sandhills.

LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/

Issued at 334 PM CDT Wed Jun 10 2026

A warm front is expected to move in across western Nebraska on Friday with WAA greatest across western Nebraska. Will see temperatures in the 90s across western Nebraska and in the upper 80s across north central Nebraska. Could see the potential for near critical to potentially critical fire weather conditions across western Nebraska. Dew points decrease across western Nebraska through the afternoon and min RH will drop around 10 to 15 percent in the afternoon. Winds will be out of the southwest around 20 to 25 mph sustained and could see gusts up to 40 to 45 mph. Will see a couple disturbances this weekend move across the area and could see precipitation chances late Saturday into Sunday.

AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z FRIDAY/

Issued at 637 PM CDT Wed Jun 10 2026

VFR conditions are forecast to prevail. Increasing clouds are occurring as a cold front moves into the area. Will need to watch for LLWS with the front for each terminal, but confidence is not high enough to include at this time. There is a chance of isolated to scattered thunderstorm development overnight, the exact location of where storms will form is still uncertain, but greater likelihood at this time storms will form across the southern Sandhills, with a greater concern of impact at KLBF terminal at this time. Winds are forecast to diminish this evening and overnight and be light around 10 kts or less. Winds will switch to the northwest in the morning and increase during the morning hours around 10 to 20 kts sustained and gusts up to 30 kts.

LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

Red Flag Warning until 8 PM MDT this evening for NEZ204.