textproduct: Omaha/Valley

KEY MESSAGES

- Potential for widespread frost and a freeze tonight through early Saturday morning

- Occasional spotty shower and storm chances (20-40%) Sunday night through Wednesday. Highest chance across southeast Nebraska/far southwest Iowa Monday night/early Tuesday.

- Temperatures warming into the 60s and 70s Saturday through Monday.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 1240 PM CDT Fri May 1 2026

Today through Sunday...

Friday morning temperatures dipped into the 30s at most locations overnight, before pushing back into the upper 40s and 50s by noon. A few spotty showers struggled to reach the ground just to the west and east of our borders. Brisk northerly winds, gusting up to 20 to 30 mph, drove drier air south into the Central Plains. Relative humidities will continue to fall to 20-30 percent this afternoon, thankfully local green up has helped mitigate fire danger concerns, despite the gusty winds and low RH.

Surface high pressure will continue to settle south into the Missouri River Valley tonight, allowing for clear skies, light winds, and frigid temperatures. Lows tonight are forecast to range from 29-32 degrees, north of a line from Columbus to Onawa,IA. South of that line, temperatures will likely dip into the low to mid 30s. Thus, a Freeze Warning has been issued for parts of northeast Nebraska and west-central Iowa, with a Frost Advisory in effect over the remainder of the forecast area.

The surface High will shift southeast of the area by Saturday afternoon, as an upper ridge begins to build over the Four Corners region. Temperatures will warm nicely through the day, Saturday, as southwesterly low level flow advects warm air into the Central CONUS. Highs are forecast to reach the upper 60s and low 70s over eastern Nebraska, with mid 60s over western Iowa.

A dry, weak cold front will dip through the region Saturday night into Sunday, bringing little more than a wind shift across the forecast area. While a sprinkle or two could work it's way into western Iowa, the better chance for rain will remain well to our east. Warmer air in place will keep overnight lows limited to the mid and upper 40s, Sunday morning. Afternoon highs are forecast to reach the low 70s over northeast Nebraska, and approach 80 near the NE/KS border, as warm air advection prevails.

Monday and Beyond...

Similarly warmer temperatures are forecast for Monday, with highs reaching the mid to upper 70s and low 80s. Spotty rain chances (20- 40%) will return to the forecast Monday through mid week, as a cut off low near California attempts to phase with a longwave trough digging into the nation's midsection. A boundary lying just to our south will be the focus point for precipitation, bringing highest chances near the Nebraska/Kansas border. While widespread wetting rainfall doesn't look super likely at this time, we will take whatever minor amounts we can get.

Temperatures will likely take a bit of a dip early to mid week, depending on the track of the main low to our north. Highs are currently expected to drop back into the 50s and 60s Tuesday and Wednesday, with at least some potential for a frosty morning or two across northeast Nebraska Wednesday and Thursday.

Temperatures will likely rebound Thursday afternoon and beyond as the trough shifts east and a ridge approaches from the west.

AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SATURDAY/

Issued at 1206 PM CDT Fri May 1 2026

VFR conditions will prevail through the period. Patchy afternoon FL040 clouds have begun to develop along and east of the Missouri River and will likely linger into the evening. Winds will remain breezy out of the North through 00Z. Speeds will weaken through the overnight hours, with the direction becoming variable at times. Winds will become WNW by late Saturday morning, at speeds of 5-10 kts.

OAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

NE...Freeze Warning from 1 AM to 8 AM CDT Saturday for NEZ011-012- 015>018-030>034-042>044. Frost Advisory from 1 AM to 8 AM CDT Saturday for NEZ045- 050>053-065>068-078-088>093. IA...Freeze Warning from 1 AM to 8 AM CDT Saturday for IAZ043. Frost Advisory from 1 AM to 8 AM CDT Saturday for IAZ055-056- 069-079-080-090-091.