textproduct: Omaha/Valley

KEY MESSAGES

- Gusty northwest winds linger this evening. Winds become light as high pressure builds into the area tonight.

- A cooler, quiet day is expected Thursday, then widespread precipitation chances return Saturday. A few storms could be strong to severe.

UPDATE

Issued at 631 PM CDT Wed Jun 17 2026

The wind advisory for portions of the area has been cancelled. Wind speeds have begun to decrease this evening as heating wanes and the trough begins to move off to the east. A few gusts to 30-35 mph remain possible over the next couple hours before winds become light tonight.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 1212 PM CDT Wed Jun 17 2026

Today and Tomorrow...

Water vapor imagery and objective analysis reveal a mid- to upper- level trough pushing into the Upper Midwest, with an impressive mid- and upper-level jet rounding the base of the trough. This system pushed a deepening surface low across the area this morning, along with a trailing cold front that swept southward across the region. Behind the front, warm, dry and windy conditions will prevail through the afternoon. Despite a period of CAA, highs are still expected to reach the 80s in most locations today. The main concern will be strong post-frontal winds as a tightening surface pressure gradient combines with deeper mixing into a stronger winds aloft. Northwesterly wind gusts up to 40-50 mph are expected, with the strongest gusts across northeast Nebraska where a Wind Advisory remains in effect through 9 PM.

Gusty winds combined with afternoon relative humidity values falling into the 20-30% range will bring very high fire weather concerns, especially to portions of northeast Nebraska, where 1000-hour fuels have yet to green up. Winds will gradually diminish through the evening and overnight period. A few light showers may develop overnight into Thursday morning along an area of surface convergence, though a dry sub-cloud layer should limit how much precipitation reaches the ground. PoPs only peak around 15-20%.

Continued northwesterly flow aloft will filter a cooler and drier air mass into the region tomorrow. Thursday afternoon highs are expected to top out in the upper 70s to low 80s, making for a pleasant mid-June day across the area.

Friday and Beyond...

A transient corridor of surface high pressure and brief mid-level ridging will slide across the area early Friday, bringing quiet conditions and helping temperatures rebound into the mid 80s. A weak shortwave passage Friday afternoon/evening will bring 15-30% PoPs to the area.

By Saturday, a shortwave impulse pushing through the Front Range will help develop a surface low over Colorado/Wyoming before tracking eastward across Nebraska through the day. This system is expected to bring the next chance for strong to severe thunderstorms to the area as moisture transport increases and a modestly destabilized warm sector develops. Afternoon highs are expected to reach the mid 80s. This will be a day to monitor closely as the system approaches and details come into better focus. Current guidance depicts storms developing to our west during the afternoon before pushing eastward into the area during the evening and overnight period, when PoPs peak around 80-95%. SPC continues to highlight much of Nebraska in a 15% severe weather probability for Saturday.

PoPs will gradually taper off through Sunday as cooler temperatures filter in behind the system, with highs in the mid 70s to low 80s. Monday into next week, highs are expected to remain in the 70s to low 80s, with periodic 15-30% PoPs as weak disturbances track near the area. The cool and wet conditions are expected to stick around as the CPC's 6-10 day outlook highlights the area for temperatures leaning below normal (40-50% probability) and precipitation totals leaning above normal (33-40% probability).

AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z FRIDAY/

Issued at 601 PM CDT Wed Jun 17 2026

VFR conditions are expected through the TAF period. Gusty northwest winds continue behind an earlier cold front. Wind speeds should gradually decrease this evening into tonight as surface high pressure builds into the region. There is a low chance of a band of showers across portions of eastern Nebraska overnight. It remains uncertain if these showers will impact OMA or OFK. If showers do impact a terminal, little to no change to aviation conditions is expected. Northwest winds will continue into Thursday, though wind speeds should be relatively light.

OAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

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