textproduct: Omaha/Valley

KEY MESSAGES

- A cold front will slide south across Nebraska and Iowa Saturday. The best chance for showers and storms will be along and ahead of the front, in far southeast Nebraska and southwest Iowa, Saturday afternoon and evening (20-40%). - Expect a return to the 80s Monday through Thursday, possibly reaching the low 90s by the end of the week.

- Our next widespread chance for rain won't arrive until Thursday (15-30%).

DISCUSSION

Issued at 1104 PM CDT Fri May 8 2026

Tonight through Sunday...

Steep lapse rates and weak instability aided in the development of patchy sprinkles this evening, behind a weak boundary moving towards the southeastern corner of the CWA. A layer of near-surface dry air managed to prevent the majority of precip from reaching the surface. Shower coverage and winds diminished as we moved into the overnight hours, with dry weather prevailing. Temperatures will remain near normal overnight, dropping into the mid and upper 40s.

Westerly winds return Saturday morning, advecting warm air into the region ahead of an approaching cold front. Temperatures will rise into the lower 80s ahead of the front, with low to mid 70s expected over northeast Nebraska. CAMs suggest spotty showers will try to develop over northeast Nebraska, behind the front, by late morning. However, moisture-starved air below these showers will likely allow little more than sprinkles to reach the surface. A better chance for showers and a few rumbles of thunder can be expected along and ahead of the boundary Saturday afternoon and evening. While a general lack of instability may inhibit the development of typically strong/severe storms, inverted-V forecast soundings suggest a few strong wind gusts may be possible below any showers or storms that do develop.

Precipitation chances will dwindle across southeast Nebraska through Saturday evening. High pressure settles in behind the front for Sunday, keeping us dry and mostly sunny with highs in the 70s.

Monday and Beyond...

A midlevel low will move across southern Canada, into the Great Lakes early next week, dragging another surface cold front through the region. Strong southerly winds will draw warmer air back into the Central Plains Monday and Tuesday, allowing temperatures to rise back into the low to mid 80s. While current model runs suggest the best moisture with this system will likely remain well to our east, a few showers and storms could skirt across eastern fringes of the forecast area Monday night through early Tuesday morning.

A ridge of high pressure looks to develop over the southwestern CONUS through the upcoming week, allowing high temperatures to remain in the 80s, and perhaps the low 90s. Longer range solutions hint at a low pressure system moving through the northwestern CONUS Thursday, which could effectively squash the ridge and bring a chance of showers to the forecast area Thursday into Friday.

AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z SUNDAY/

Issued at 546 AM CDT Sat May 9 2026

Light winds early this morning gradually strengthen out of the west to northwest through the remainder of the morning. A developing weather system is approaching the region, increasing cloud cover. VFR conditions are expected with cloud bases between 8 to 12 kft. Widely scattered showers are anticipated this afternoon ahead of a cold front. Very dry air in the lower levels of the atmosphere should prevent much of this from reaching the ground. LNK has the greatest chance of showers near the terminal later this afternoon, but no aviation impacts are anticipated. Isolated thunder can't be ruled out but is unlikely. Winds will quickly become northwesterly and then northerly late this afternoon and evening as the cold front moves southeast through the region.

OAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

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