textproduct: Omaha/Valley

KEY MESSAGES

- Dangerous cold this morning with wind chills as low as -20 to -25. A Cold Weather Advisory is in effect.

- Warmer this afternoon with highs in the 20s and 30s.

- A low chance of light snow (15-25%) on Thursday into Friday morning.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 214 AM CST Mon Jan 26 2026

Today...

Clearing skies and a recent crusting of light snow allowed radiational cooling to maximize overnight. By 2 AM, temperatures had fallen into the single digits below 0. Breezy northwesterly winds reached speeds up to 5 to 15 mph, leading to wind chills ranging from -15 to -25. A Cold Weather Advisory will remain in effect through 9 AM this morning.

Another shortwave disturbance will traverse the north central CONUS today, bringing breezy southwesterly surface winds to the Central Plains. Winds occasionally gusting up to 20 to 30 mph this afternoon will pull relatively warmer air back into the region. Highs this afternoon are expected to rebound into the 20s, with a few low to mid 30s possible over northeast Nebraska.

Tonight through Wednesday...

A cold front associated with the northern shortwave will sweep in from the northwest this evening, bringing winds back around to the northwest. Lows tonight will drop back into the teens and single digits above 0. A reinforcing shot of cold air behind the front will keep us in the low to mid 20s on Tuesday, as high pressure builds into the northern plains.

Another subtle shortwave and dry surface front will move in Wednesday. Temperatures ahead of the front could reach into the 30s, with locations along and west of the Missouri River possibly rising above freezing.

Thursday and Beyond...

The next shortwave trough will dive south out of the Rockies on Thursday bringing our next chance for precipitation Thursday morning through Friday. While model consensus remains to be seen in exact timing and placement of snow, any accumulations will likely be light. For now will maintain 15-25% PoPs through Thursday and Friday, given the low confidence in the exact details. High temperatures in the teens and 20s on Thursday and Friday are forecast to warm into the 20s to low 30s by Saturday. Another disturbance brings the next 15 to 20% chance for light snow next weekend.

AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z TUESDAY/

Issued at 1106 AM CST Mon Jan 26 2026

VFR conditions will prevail through the forecast period with little to no cloud cover. Southwest winds of 15-16 kt with gusts of 23-24 kt will persist this afternoon before diminishing this evening. Winds then switch to northwest tonight with the passage of a front through the area. A brief period of LLWS appears probable at KOMA this evening.

OAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

NE...None. IA...None.