textproduct: North Platte

KEY MESSAGES

- A few strong thunderstorms are possible tonight across the northwest Sandhills.

- Thunderstorm chances will persists each day Tuesday through Saturday, mainly during the evening hours. Highs mostly from the upper 90s to low 90s.

SHORT TERM /THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/

Issued at 146 PM CDT Sun Jun 28 2026

Tonight...an upper trough will be in place across the Intermountain West, and and upper ridge centered over the Southeastern U.S. Deep surface low pressure near 988mb across northeast CO, moving into northern NE late tonight. A few strong storms are possible across the far northwest Sandhills overnight. A weak cold front will move into the panhandle later tonight. Lows coolest in the upper 50s far northwest, to the low 70s far southeast.

Monday and Monday night...a shortwave trough will move across the Northern Plains Monday, which will push a weak cold front through the forecast area. This will bring westerly winds and lower dewpoints from the upper 30s to low 50s across the west. For fire weather concerns, the far northwest Sandhills will see afternoon humidity fall in the upper teens and westerly winds gusting to 30 mph will create elevated fire concerns.

A frontal boundary will extend front near Sioux City IA through Colby KS by early evening. This will be a focus for thunderstorms southeast of the area during the evening. After midnight the front will lift north as a low level jet increases, bringing a slight chance for elevated thunderstorms to eastern portions of north central NE.

LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/

Issued at 146 PM CDT Sun Jun 28 2026

Upper troughing across the Western U.S, and a strong upper ridge across the Southeastern U.S. will persist through Friday and keep western Nebraska in southwesterly flow aloft each day. Storm development will be focused during the evening and overnight through Thursday night, as a frontal boundary meanders across the region each day. Tuesday looks to have the best potential for thunderstorms with a frontal boundary located just southeast of the forecast area. Deep moisture will be transport from the Southern High Plains into the region on tuesday as a disturbance lifts northeast. Chance to likely POPs remain in the forecast. Lesser chances Wednesday and Thursday.

Highs 85 to 90 Tuesday and Wednesday should return to the upper 80s to low 90s Thursday and the low to mid 90s Friday, cooling back to the mid to upper 80s by next Sunday.

Looking into Friday through Sunday for Independence Day weekend, an upper trough will approach the Northern Plains Friday, and cross the Northern and Central Plains Saturday into Sunday. Thunderstorm chances will remain in the forecast each day, though the extent of thunderstorm activity appears limited.

AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z TUESDAY/

Issued at 606 PM CDT Sun Jun 28 2026

VFR conditions are expected to prevail through the next 24 hours. Southeast winds of 5 to 15 knots will increase this evening, with gusts to 30 knots possible. Isolated thunderstorms may develop across northwest and north-central Nebraska tonight, though they are expected to remain away from both terminals. Low-level wind shear is expected to develop across southwest and central Nebraska overnight through early Monday morning, including the KLBF terminal. Winds will shift to the west overnight before becoming northwesterly by late Monday morning into the afternoon, increasing to 10 to 20 knots with gusts up to 35 knots, especially across the Sandhills. Low- level cloud cover may develop near the KVTN terminal Monday morning, though confidence in any aviation impacts remains low at this time.

LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

None.