textproduct: Omaha/Valley

KEY MESSAGES

- Brief warm up today with most seeing highs in the 40s to low 50s. Slight chance (10%) for some sprinkles in far eastern Nebraska and western Iowa. Breezy 20 to 25 mph southwest winds becoming gusty in the afternoon from the northwest (35+ mph).

- 20 to 45% chance of snow north of a line from near David City to Omaha to Oakland, IA Friday. Higher chances (45 to 60%) expected in far northeast Nebraska. Strong 40 to 45+ mph winds for much of Friday combined with snow will lead to poor visibilities and travel impacts in areas that experience snow showers.

- Cold air and lingering gustiness will result in wind chills ranging from the single digits to teens below zero Saturday and Sunday morning.

LONG TERM

/SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/

Gusty 30 to 35 mph winds linger for most of Saturday before sfc high pressure finally makes its way into the area late Saturday night. The cold airmass in place combined with the winds will result in wind chills of -10 to -18F for areas north of a line from Columbus to Harlan Saturday morning. Not much improvement is seen for the rest of Saturday with wind chills below zero across the area. While dry conditions are expected, don't be surprised if a few flurries can be squeezed out (10 to 12% chance) given how cold it is.

Lows Saturday night into Sunday morning will be the coldest of the period with single digits to near 0F expected. Winds will be light, but expect wind chills to once again dip to the single digits to teens below zero. Improvement is expected later Sunday with highs in the 30s to low 40s as southwesterly winds return. However, another H5 wave and sfc cold front will move into the area. At this time, the best forcing appears north and east of the area as is the moisture. Differences in the placement of these features is apparent though with model guidance. Ensemble guidance appears to suggest the best chance for precipitation again over our far north and east (10 to 30% chance), but could see this to shift farther southwest or northeast over the coming days. For now, have kept dry sub 15% PoPs from the NBM.

Northwesterly flow prevails for the rest of the extended with H5 shortwave trofs riding the flow and ejecting southeast into the Northern Plains while a longwave trof parks over the eastern CONUS. A few of these waves may clip the area and lead to some threat of precipitation, but the bulk of LREF guidance suggests the threat staying to our north and east. 20s to low 30s are expected for highs Monday, with improvement seen Tuesday and Wednesday to the mid 30s to low 40s.

AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z FRIDAY/

Issued at 536 AM CST Thu Jan 15 2026

VFR conditions are expected to prevail for this TAF cycle at all terminals. Forecast soundings continue to suggest FEW to SCT ceilings between 2,000 to 3,000 feet later this morning into the afternoon. Could see a 10 to 14% chance for some sprinkles at KOMA, but confidence is rather low. Winds will become gusty from the southwest today at 20 to 25 kts, switching to the northwest by the late afternoon. Latest hires guidance suggests a brief lull in wind expected in the early evening at KOMA and KLNK before much stronger winds of 25 to 35 kts arrive beyond 02z. LLWS may arrive at KOMA and KLNK by 04z but strong surface wind gusts are expected at that time which precludes mentions with this issuance.

OAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

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