textproduct: Omaha/Valley

KEY MESSAGES

- Expect some slick roads this evening into early Sunday with a band of snow moving through the area (60-90+% chance). Most locations should see totals of a few tenths up to 1 inch, but a few localized 2-inch totals are possible, mainly in northeast Nebraska (10-20% chance).

- Warmer temperatures arrive Sunday into next work week, with highs climbing into the 30s and 40s. Many locations are expected to see 50s on Thursday.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 102 PM CST Sat Jan 31 2026

Rest of this afternoon through Sunday:

A shortwave trough --evident in water vapor imagery over the western Dakotas into north-central NE as of noon-- will track near or just west of the area late this afternoon and evening. On it's heels, a secondary disturbance is forecast to move through northeast NE and western IA tonight. Forcing for ascent tied to the lead wave coupled with low-level warm advection have fostered a relatively narrow snow band extending from central SD into central NE as of midday.

Latest CAM guidance progresses the snow band into the northwest part of our area by late afternoon, and through the remainder of the area by midnight. Given a dry, antecedent air mass, considerable top-down saturation is being required for the snow to reach the surface, resulting in an expected 2-4 hour time window for consistent snowfall at any one location. In the wake of the primary snow band and ahead of the secondary disturbance, the models hint at widely scattered, more showery precipitation moving through the area overnight. Forecast soundings indicate a gradual loss of saturation/ice-introduction atop a developing warm nose, suggestive of a transition to sleet and/or light freezing rain or freezing drizzle. Deep-layer ascent also decreases during this transition period, so no impactful ice accumulation is expected.

In regard to snowfall amounts, limited event duration will keep accumulations low with this forecast update similar to the previous, highlighting totals from a few tenths up to an inch. Some locally higher accumulations are possible in northeast NE. Winds will strengthen from the south immediately ahead of and in the lead snow band, so travel could be impacted by reduced visibilities in falling/blowing snow and slippery roads. The current expectation is that overall impacts will remain lower than that required for a Winter Weather Advisory.

Temperatures will warm quickly Sunday morning with afternoon highs in the upper 30s to mid 40s forecast. So, any snow that falls overnight should melt tomorrow afternoon.

Next week:

High-amplitude ridging aloft currently over western North America will be temporarily dampened by shortwave troughs progressing along its periphery. But in general, that feature will gradually build east, leading to above-normal temperatures for much of this upcoming week. A couple notable shortwave troughs are projected to move through the north-central U.S. in the Monday through Wednesday timeframe, leading to low precipitation chances (15-30%). Otherwise, high temperatures in the 30s to around 40 are forecast from Monday through Wednesday with readings warming into the 40s and 50s on Thursday and Friday.

AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z MONDAY/

Issued at 515 PM CST Sat Jan 31 2026

A band of snow continues to advance eastward, bringing IFR to LIFR conditions to KOFK currently along with gusty southerly winds at 20-25 kts. This band of snow has dropped snow to the west at KBBW, continuing the idea that we will see a 2-3 hour window of snow as continues, with snow rates and visibilities expected to be better by the time it reaches KLNK and KOMA. Visibilities will be the limiting factor, compared to the MVFR to IFR ceilings that will accompany any flakes. Confidence is decreasing in seeing anything beyond 05z, with any remaining chances (20-30%) pushing east of the area shortly after 09z. Winds will shift westerly, then northwesterly, with strong winds at FL014 to FL019 of 35-40 kts increasing low-level wind shear concerns at KOFK and KLNK through 16z. Thereafter, northwesterly winds will carry us through the period with a few gusts to 20 kts at KOFK during the afternoon hours.

OAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

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