textproduct: Omaha/Valley

KEY MESSAGES

- A few light snow showers (20-40% chance) move across northeast Nebraska tonight. Little to no impacts are expected.

- Very strong winds and winter weather (70-90% chance) is expected to impact the area Saturday night into Sunday. Winds gusts of 50 to 60 mph (50-70% chance) and blizzard-like conditions (30-50% chance) are possible.

- Cooler Temperatures return Sunday into Tuesday morning before a warming trend develops midweek. Highs may reach the 70s to near 80 by the end of the week.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 1258 PM CDT Fri Mar 13 2026

Quiet and cooler weather takes over after yesterday's winds and fire weather. Surface high pressure is building across the Great Plains, with highs in the 40s and 50s. A weak disturbance glances the region tonight. A few snow showers (20-40%) chance are expected across northeast Nebraska with this system. Little to no impacts are expected. At the same time, lee troughing begins to develop to our west ahead of our next weather system, pushing a weak front through the area. This effective warm front will bisect the area on Saturday, leading to temperatures ranging in the 60s to near 70 along and south of I-80 with 50s to the north. Enjoy this warm weather while it lasts, because big changes arrive on Sunday.

A large western trough will eject east across the Rocky Mountains into the Great Plains by late Saturday night into Sunday morning. Ahead of it, a quickly developing low pressure over the High Plains begins to track east towards our area. A powerful jet stream accompanies this trough and this will aid the expected weather on Sunday. The low pressure system and accompanying cold front begins to move east of the area during the morning hours. This front will be powerful with much colder temperatures and strong winds pouring in behind it. High temperatures are likely to be reached not too long after sunrise before tumbling from there. Temperatures may start in the 40s before falling below freezing through the afternoon. Winds behind the front are forecast to have wind gusts of 50 to 60 mph (50-70% chance).

Outside of the wind and falling temperatures, winter precipitation follows this system. Rain late Saturday into early Sunday quickly changes to all snow with the rapidly cooling temperatures. Much of the area is expected to see winter weather (70-90% chance). This snow may be heavy at times, but even when it is lighter, very strong winds will greatly reduce visibility. Blizzard-like conditions are possible (30-50%) chance in more open areas or where the heaviest snow falls. There remains some variance in snow amounts, with 1 to 3 inches being the generally expected range, but even this small amount would be hazardous to drivers given the winds. If the positioning of the strengthening low pressure and the accompanying jet streak were to line up over the area, higher totals would then be possible. That said, if the system ends up being more progressive, slightly less snowfall may be expected. Stay tuned for details.

After Sunday, very cold temperatures that should have been done for the Winter make a brief return. Monday is forecast to start in the single digits with wind chills of 10 to 20 degrees below zero. Temperatures struggle to warm by afternoon and remain largely in the 20s, with any snowfall helping keep it cold. Tuesday morning will once again start cold in the single digits, but wind chills will be much less. Thankfully, it is all up from there. Temperatures begin to warm by Tuesday afternoon, with 40s and 50s anticipated. Things quickly climb into the 60s and 70s on Wednesday with temperatures near 80 on the table for some by week's end. The weather whiplash continues.

AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SATURDAY/

Issued at 1222 PM CDT Fri Mar 13 2026

VFR conditions are expected through the TAF period. Winds remain northwesterly, but are slowly weakening as surface high pressure builds across the region. A weak front sags through the region tonight. Winds become easterly with this front.

OAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

NE...High Wind Watch from Sunday morning through late Sunday night for NEZ011-012-015>018-030>034-042>045-050>053-065>068- 078-088>093. Winter Storm Watch from Sunday morning through late Sunday night for NEZ011-012-015>018-031>034-043>045-051>053. IA...High Wind Watch from Sunday morning through late Sunday night for IAZ043-055-056-069-079-080-090-091. Winter Storm Watch from Sunday morning through late Sunday night for IAZ043-055-056-069.